Bong Go urges DOE, LGUs, electricity providers to ensure power supply to secure vaccine storage and unburden Filipinos amid hardships caused by COVID-19

Senator Christopher "Bong" Go urged the Department of Energy, local government units and concerned electric providers to address power shortages that may add burden to the hardships experienced by Filipinos amid the ongoing pandemic.

He also stressed the need to ensure continuous power supply to secure vaccines stored in cold storage facilities as warmer temperature and unplanned outage of several power plants could cripple supply in the power grid.

"Sa mga concerned cooperatives, sa lahat ng mga LGUs, sa lahat ng power providers, nakikiusap kami sa inyo, dapat handa tayo sa maaaring maging brownout," said Go right after he distributed assistance to fire victims in South Harbor, Manila on Tuesday, June 1.

"Kahit isang minuto, dapat walang brownout sa panahong ito, at dapat walang masira ni isang bakuna," he added.

On Monday, May 31, Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said power supply was severely affected by several power plants on outage. He added that a higher heat index resulted in the increase in energy demand.

Go, meanwhile, stressed the urgent need to address and prevent blackouts, saying, "Hindi po report lang ang kailangan natin dito. Kailangan po maaddress kaagad ito at maagapan po. Mahirap pong magka-brownout sa panahong ito, lalung lalo na po na patuloy tayong nagbabakuna."

"Wala pong bakuna na dapat masira dito, we cannot afford na masira ang bakuna dahil alam nating pinaghirapan po natin ang mga bakunang ito. Alam ninyo, sobrang limitado ang bakuna, agawan sa ibang bansa," he added.

Go also said that he will discuss the issue with President Rodrigo Duterte and Sec. Cusi. As a long-term solution, Go echoed the DOE's plan to attract more investments in the energy generation sector.

"Kakausapin ko po si Secretary Cusi at si Pangulong Duterte, dahil sabi nga ng Department of Energy, shortage ng electricity supply is due to high heat index, that recently increased demand for power and caused unscheduled maintenance work sa key plants in Luzon, kasama na rin dito ang low gas pressure mula sa Malampaya at balak ng DOE magkaroon ng long-term solution sa pamamagitan ng paghihikayat ng investment," Go said.

A few weeks ago, 348 vials of Sinovac vaccines were deemed no longer usable for vaccination after they were left in a freezer without electricity for more than two days in Makilala, North Cotabato.

Meanwhile, Go continues to encourage all Filipinos to get vaccinated, detailing the painstaking efforts government officials have to go through to procure the much-needed vaccines.

"Kwento ko na lang po sa inyo. Nabanggit po kagabi ni Secretary Galvez, ako mismo ang nilapitan niya, sabi niya ang four million vaccines mula sa Sinovac ay hinahanapan pa ng pambayad... ng pondo, dahil may kulang pang papeles at hindi po mababayaran ng ADB," said Go.

"So, nakita ninyo, sobrang pinaghirapan po natin ang mga bakunang ito, dapat ni isa, o ni piso wala pong dapat masira o masayang dito sa mga bakunang ito," he added.

As the government plans to expand the national vaccination program to A4 and A5 priority groups, Go asks all Filipinos not to fear the vaccines.

"Magtulungan na lang po tayo. Ulitin ko, magpabakuna na kayo, ang dami pa ring takot dito. Kanina tinatanong ko, less than 50% pa po ang willing magpabakuna. Nandiyan na po ang bakuna, bubuksan na po ang A4 at A5 sa susunod na buwan para po bigyan na po ng tiyansa ang mahihirap nating mga kababayan," said Go.