Gov’t assures no electricity rate hike with presidential emergency powers

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MANILA — Malacanang on Thursday assured the consumers that electricity rates in the country will not go up when the government addresses the power situation from now until 2015.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the proposal of Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla to grant President Benigno S. Aquino III emergency powers to solve the power supply problem will be for limited duration and extent.

Coloma said the government wants to assure enough and uninterrupted power supply at reasonable prices.

“Batay sa mga simulations ng DOE (Department of Energy), hindi nila inaasahan na magreresulta ito sa pagtaas at sa lahat ng pagkakataon ang isasaalang-alang ng pamahalaan ay iyong kapakanan ng mga mamamayan at iyong hindi pagpataw ng dagdag na pabigat sa kanila dahil dito,” he said.

Moreover, Coloma said that upon the instruction of the President, the DOE is now reviewing the supply situation and the projected demand in Luzon until 2015 and the available options to address the problem.

“And upon submission of the same, the DOE will await further guidance of the President. So, ongoing pa iyong pag-aaral at ilalahad ang pagpapasya ng Pangulo kapag nakumpleto na iyong pag-aaral na hiningin niya hinggil dito,” he added.

Coloma said the Malampaya special fund may be considered when financing energy development projects of the government.

”Isa ‘yon sa maaring pagkunan at kailangan pag-aralan kung tumutugon sa probisyon ng batas ang gagawing paggamit ng pondong iyan,” he said.

”Kaya nga ang nagaganap ngayon ay patuloy na pag-aaral, hindi lamang doon sa demand ang supply projections, siguro kasama na rin diyan ‘yung maaring paraan nang pagpopondo,” he added.