ROXAS SEEKS PROBE INTO REYES' POWER 'DOOMSDAY' SCENARIO

Senator Mar Roxas today called for a legislative inquiry into the alleged impending power shortage situation in 2010 as he expressed alarm over the "doomsday" power crisis scenario painted by Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Roxas has filed Senate Resolution No. 1375 urging the Senate committees on trade and commerce and energy to look into Reyes' pronouncement, which he noted contradicted public claims of various independent power producers in the country.

"Such claims of a critical power supply situation are dangerous and conditions the mind of the people with an alarmist, doomsday scenario and further sends the wrong signals to private corporations and consumers, since power supply is a sensitive parameter for investors," he said.

"Bago tayo magbigay ng doomsday scenario, alamin muna natin ang puno't dulo ng problema. Ang problema ay hindi kakulangan ng emergency powers pero maling pamamahala (Before we put forward any doomsday scenario, let's first find out the bottom line. The problem is not the lack of emergency powers but bad governance)," he added.

Reyes had claimed that a power shortage might occur in the country next year because committed power generation projects are expected to produce only 1,020 megawatts, falling short of the required additional capacity of 4,100 MW. He said there might be a need to grant emergency powers to President Arroyo deal with the problem since the crisis could affect the 2010 synchronized elections.

The Philippine Independent Power Producers Association denied Reyes' claim, insisting there would be enough power supply next year, especially in the Visayas because of the expected commercial operation of two coal-fired power plants in the area.

The Visayan senator said Reyes' call for the grant of emergency powers to President Arroyo was unnecessary and uncalled for. He said what was needed is to "verify the veracity of these reports and determine the power supply situation of the country in order to come up with measures to protect the consumers and crucial Philippine industries should a power crisis be, in fact, impending."

"Imbes na gawin ng gobyerno ang kanilang trabaho, kinukundisyon nila ang utak nating lahat na magkakaroon talaga ng blackout. Huwag tayong papaloko (Instead of doing their job, they are conditioning our minds that there will indeed be a blackout. Let's not be fooled)." He stressed.