Gatchalian urges NEA to ensure resiliency of electric cooperatives during typhoons
October 31, 2024
Gatchalian urges NEA to ensure resiliency of electric cooperatives during typhoons
Senator Win Gatchalian urged the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to ensure that all electric cooperatives (ECs) are compliant with the requirements of the Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF) law to mitigate the adverse impact on power supply of natural calamities such as typhoons.
The vice-chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, Gatchalian made the call following widespread devastation brought by tropical storm Kristine that left many households in heavily affected areas still reeling from lack of power supply. With Super Typhoon Leon now in the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), power interruptions could affect even more households across the country.
"The goal of ECERF is not just to provide funds that ECs can tap for the restoration and rehabilitation of ECs' damaged infrastructures following a fortuitous event such as typhoon but to ensure that the distribution utilities are resilient to withstand calamities," he said. The ECERF was put in place as a ready fund that can be tapped by ECs for faster restoration of electricity and power facilities damaged by natural calamities. The fund is administered and managed by NEA.
The principal author of the ECERF law, Gatchalian said ECs are required to submit on an annual basis vulnerability and risk assessment (VRA), emergency response plan (ERP), mitigation plan (MP), and resiliency compliance plan to NEA. In addition, ECs are required to submit the accomplished or implementation status of the respective mitigation projects they identified in their respective VRAs and MPs.
Given that the Philippines is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change risks and natural disasters, ECs need to develop their resilience to prevent power interruption or at least shorten the period of such incidents during and after calamities, the senator pointed out. NEA has requested a budget of P200 million for the implementation of ECERF for next year.
On Wednesday, President Marcos urged government agencies to prepare for the impact of Super Typhoon Leon, as most regions continue to recover from the effects of 'Kristine.'
Gatchalian hinimok ang NEA na tiyakin ang katatagan ng mga electric cooperative sa panahon ng bagyo
Hinimok ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang National Electrification Administration o NEA na tiyaking sumusunod ang lahat ng electric cooperatives sa mga requirement ng Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund o ECERF Law upang maiwasan ang masamang epekto ng mga natural na kalamidad, tulad ng bagyo, sa suplay ng kuryente.
Ang panawagan ni Gatchalian, vice-chairperson ng Senate Committee on Energy, ay kasunod ng malawakang epekto na dulot ng bagyong Kristine sa maraming mga kabahayan na nawalan ng kuryente. Ngayon at humahagupit na rin sa bansa ang Super Typhoon na Leon, maaaring magkaroon pa ng mas maraming kabahayan sa bansa na walang kuryente.
"Ang layunin ng ECERF ay hindi lamang magbigay mga pondo para sa mga electric cooperatives na i-rehabilitate at ayusin ang mga nasirang imprastraktura ng mga ito kasunod ng mga hindi inaasahang pangyayari tulad ng bagyo. Ang ECERF ay ginagamit din upang matiyak na ang mga distribution utilities, katulad ng Meralco, ay matatag upang makayanan ang mga kalamidad," ani Gatchalian. Itinatag ang ECERF bilang paunang pondo o isang 'ready fund' na maaaring magamit ng mga EC para sa mas mabilis na pagpapanumbalik ng mga pasilidad ng kuryente na nasira ng mga natural na kalamidad. Ang pondo ay pinangangasiwaan at pinamamahalaan ng NEA.
Bilang pangunahing may-akda ng ECERF law, sinabi ni Gatchalian na ang mga EC ay kinakailangang magsumite ng taunang vulnerability and risk assessment (VRA), emergency response plan (ERP), mitigation plan (MP), at resiliency compliance plan sa NEA. Dagdag pa rito, inaatasan ang mga EC na isumite ang status ng kanilang mga mitigation projects.
Dahil ang Pilipinas ay isa sa mga bansang sinasabing pinaka vulnerable sa climate change risk at natural disasters, kailangang pag-ibayuhin ng mga EC ang kanilang resilience para maiwasan ang power interruption o kahit man lang paikliin ang panahon ng mga ganitong insidente, ipinunto ng senador. Ang NEA ay humiling ng pondo na P200 milyon para sa pagpapatupad ng ECERF para sa susunod na taon.
Samantala, nag-utos na ang Pangulong Marcos sa lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno na maghanda sa posibleng paghagupit ng bagyong Leon, lalo na't marami pa ring mga lugar ang hindi pa nakakabangon sa pinsalang dulot naman ni 'Krstine.'
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