Malacañang wants Palawan’s power issues finally resolved by the end of the year and has vowed to take further action if nothing happens by then.
This was stressed Friday by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who was in Puerto Princesa City as part of his regional visits.
“DOE is already providing help to PALECO but it comes with a condition. Dapat by the end of 2019, substantially dapat ma-improve na yung performance. Lahat ng suportang pwedeng ibigay, binibigay na ng DOE,” Nograles said.
He said they are “monitoring” the performance of the Palawan Electric Cooperative’s (PALECO) on mitigating power outages in the province and will instigate further action based on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) recommendation by the end of 2019.
Nograles held a press conference at the Palawan State University (PSU) Tiniguiban Campus.
Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi, in an earlier press statement, said that even Duterte has expressed his dismay over the poor power service being provided in Palawan that prompted the department’s intervention.
“DOE’s priority is to address the root causes of PALECO’s problems and help in their rehabilitation. They have been chronically failing to provide satisfactory services required by their electric distribution franchise,” Cusi said.
PALECO spokesperson Clarina Herrera-Guludah, in a statement to Palawan News on October 10 said that the electric cooperative has a capital expenditure strategy involving short and long-term plans for their massive rehabilitation.
“Kung ano man po yung instruction nila (citing all DOE’s recommendations) of course we are going to comply. Since January 7 (this year), lahat naman ng sinabi nila sa amin ay ipinapatupad at ginagawa namin”, Guludah said.
Earlier this year, continuous and prolonged power outages were reported in Puerto Princesa City; Brooke’s Point; Narra; Bataraza; and Sofronio Española.
“Tingnan natin kung magkakaroon ng improvement,” Nograles said.
