AFTER its three-day convention last week, local business chambers of Visayas outlined their proposed resolutions to address the power shortage in the region.
“We already came up with resolutions with emphasis on power and energy and other urgent issues. We also ask for the government’s intervention in putting in place power infrastructure for the region,” said Francis Monera, chairman of the 19th Visayas Area Business Conference (VABC) held last week.
Monera told reporters the proposed resolutions were submitted to the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and will be tackled during the Nationwide Business Conference this October.
Immediate action
The local chambers highlighted in their proposed resolutions the urgent request to the Aquino administration, through the Department of Energy (DOE), for timely action to immediately address the power problem in Cebu.
A Cebuano, Rene Almendras, is the newly designated energy secretary.
The chambers sought the granting of permit to the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) to start commercial operations in the Visayas; approval of Time of Use (ToU) rates for the Visayan Electric Company (Veco); and the facilitation of other possible immediate short-term solutions to the power crisis.
They also urged the government to advocate preferential power rates for Region 8 consumers, who are using geothermal energy, and to push for the allocation of the 25 percent power reserve for the region to satisfy the energy demand of Eastern Visayas, before shedding the excess output to other areas.
They also urged DOE to require local oil companies to sign the supply and purchase agreement with local bio-ethanol investors and producers under the implementing rules and regulations of the Bio-fuels Law of 2006. The law requires that all liquid fuels for motors and engines must contain locally-produced bio-fuels.
Investment
Aside from this, the chambers also urged the government to heavily invest on short- and medium-term solutions for the power crisis such as the use of renewable and sustainable power generation like solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and other eco-friendly alternatives and to explore the option of using nuclear energy for future power needs.
Other proposed resolutions for power and energy also included the call by the chambers for:
l intervention from the DOE and the National Economic Development Authority (Neda) in finding solutions to the chronic power shortage problem in the province of Negros Occidental;
l additional provision in the Renewable Energy Law for citizens to have the means to acquire affordable renewable energy materials or equipment such as solar panels;
l emphasis on research and development in renewable energy;
l encouraging the business sector to give their share in power and energy saving measures such as the use of LED lamps.
The 19th VABC was the first of a series of business conferences this year by the PCCI. Among its delegates were the local chambers of Bacolod, Iloilo, Bohol, Samar, Dumaguete, Siquijor, Mandaue, Negros Oriental, Guimaras, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Boracay, Leyte, Eastern Samar, Consolacion and Cebu.
Monera said the resolutions that will be gathered during the nationwide business conference will then be submitted to the Office of the President.
No comments:
Post a Comment