The Philippines’ power crisis and Noynoy Aquino’s lame bid for emergency powers

So let me get this straight. After four years of sitting on his hands, Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III is suddenly asking for “emergency powers” to solve the power crisis gripping the country? What happened to those last four years? Why is this suddenly an “emergency”?

Project managers who are worth their salt know that approaching their boss for more money because they are about to blow their budget will only invite the hard question: Why are you highlighting this risk only now?

So the Boss should ask the servant the same question:

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Why then, Mr President BS Aquino is the power crisis such a big emergency only now?

Does this man deserve emergency powers??

Does this man deserve emergency powers??

In a recent article published on the Business Mirror, the eminent journalist Teddy Locsin Jr asserts that pretty much the same national mental disorder transcends the Philippines’ electricity woes and is a common denominator that underlies just about everything that is wrong with the Philippines, including the rot in its public transport infrastructure…

The reason for the breakdown of the MRT 3 is clear. No maintenance was made, because no one in the government could decide on who should get the contract for it and who will give the biggest kickback for the same. In the meantime, the contract was turned over ad interim to an ad hoc joint venture of native midgets in finance and in spare parts, rather than continue the original contract with Sumitomo, the most advanced transportation-technology and banking giant on the planet that had given us a good deal but apparently offered no one in the Department of Transportation and Communications a bribe.

Corruption, incompetence, and lack of foresight. These were big afflictions in past governments and they especially ail this one. So no, no, NO, Mr President BS Aquino, the blame is not to be pinned on your predecessors. The blame is squarely on your government. When you take the reins of power, you also take accountability for the rot that comes with it. It becomes yours to bear and yours to solve.

As Locsin points out, dropping the ball when it came to the task of assuring power supply, food security, law and order, justice, and public transport — all the important stuff that hits straight home at the average Filipino’s way of life — is a fireable offense. Locsin asserts that there is “a good enough reason to topple [the Aquino government] by popular action”. But though an increasing number of Filipinos agree with that, there is still no popular support for such an initiative — not after decades of Edsa “revolution” weariness had taken a fatal toll on Filipino’s collective hope for a different future. Certainly, the Second Aquino Administration has proven beyond reasonable doubt that it is no different to any other idiotic Philippine government that’s preceded it.

So pity the Filipino people. They are enslaved by their own popular “will” and subject to a president who is a product of the popular moronism that their country is world-renowned for.

Perhaps they should give President BS Aquino his “emergency powers”. When his cronies start importing generator sets by the ship load, that might be the economic stimulus and the employment dynamo (pun intended) Filipinos have long awaited. And like the Aboitizes of the 1990s, somebody and his clan will again be laughing all the way to the bank.

36 Replies to “The Philippines’ power crisis and Noynoy Aquino’s lame bid for emergency powers”

  1. Corruption comes in various forms, and politicians do it in different schemes, styles and scams.

    The looming 2015 power supply shortage will need 6 billion peso to buy generators abroad. Plus of course, additional cost for the fuel.

    The emergency powers asked by the president would allow the government through the Department of Energy, to negotiate juicy contracts. Say, 20% of the 6B goes to the pockets of greed government officials, then that is 1.2B watts of corruption.

    What may see a crises for the people, is a golden opportunity for some lucky bastards.

  2. Is PNoy testing the people‘s patience to the limits?

    He is responsible for this mess. He is asking congess for emergency powers to solve a problem created by himself.

    And worse, he has the nerve to think about term extension.

  3. Hey Turd,

    It’s happening on watch; so solve it! Unless you don’t know how, then step down and have somebody take the watch and get it solved. You’re wasting too much time dicking the dog!

  4. “Perhaps they should give President BS Aquino his ’emergency powers’.”

    Another ’emergency’ allocation; another ad hoc solution instead of long term planning. Be prepared for your electricity bill to soar.

    The last time a president resorted to an ’emergency measure’ to solve a power crisis (created by Cory Aquino), Fidel Ramos negotiated contracts with ‘independent power producers.’ The result: the Philippines has the highest power rates in the region.

    The power generation companies were paid (by us taxpayers) according to their promised capacity regardless of whether or not they actually delivered. We are now all too familiar with inefficient plants and administration-friendly operators delivering much less than their contracted capacity but being paid in full.

    The initial result of the power shortage created by Penoy (and his request for authorisation to purchase new generators) will force consumers to choose between paying more for less and again suffering hours-long blackouts.

    Worse, the president has instructed the Department of Energy to continue to seek the involvement of businesses such as SM with spare generators to supply additional capacity. Penoy promises to compensate the generator owners upon approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission. This promise of a reimbursement by the government means that, down the line, taxpayers will eventually end up footing the bill.

  5. “And like the Aboitizes of the 1990s, somebody and his clan will again be laughing all the way to the bank.”

    Must be nice. Power producers, the distribution companies, the political elite and their apparatchiks who caused the crisis, all come away with overflowing bank accounts. Penoy’s duplicity is nauseating; trying to sell his ’emergency powers’ as a way of looking out for the consumer when it is his administration’s supine incompetence that created the mess in the first place and now, his ilk stands to make windfall profits off the chaos and panic.

    1. NO, its not incompetence JOHN -BOY! it is the manipulation of the energy markets scamm, a page out of ENRON 101 taken to the nth degree by greedy as shit Filipino GOCC’s and politicians….GET REAL? NO, GET A CLUE ! there is no power supply shortage, its energy speculation, ya dullard.

      Now, U got one part right, I wont say which coz I don’t like you, but the rest flies right over your head.

      Now, call me a liar and a ‘conspiracy theorist’,’clue-less’ John !

      Locsin, who I don’t like for his ‘Seldom wrong,Always right’ slogan or whatever that is, happens to be right…the whole show should be toppled by whoever can do it !

  6. I am thinking that the real target with this “power crisis“ is to milk from the Malampaya Fund. Easy money. Just need to be creative, the pinoy brand of creativity.

    1. The president already has access to the Malampaya fund. By law, royalties derived from the Malampaya gas field are directly administered by the office of the president. Along with remittances from entities like PAGCOR. These revenues are NOT subject to scrutiny by Congress, much less independent auditing.

    1. maybe in a few hundred years, until then the country is doomed to poverty. ENJOY !

      (IT DOESN”T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY THOUGH ! NO GUTS, NO GLORY!)

  7. PNoy don’t need an emergency power. He has to think outside the box!

    PNoy: “Jurassic age pa ang problema na ‘to ‘di ba? Anong ginawa nila dati?”

    Yellowtard: “To quote Johnny Saint, Sir, ‘the last time a president resorted to an ‘emergency measure’ to solve a power crisis – created by your mom, by the way – Fidel Ramos negotiated contracts with ‘independent power producers.'”

    PNoy: “Okay, let’s also consider that para kunwari marami tayong options at mukha tayong concern at nag-iisip. Next!”

    Yellowtard: “Ah, may kadugtong pa po…”

    PNoy: “I know; higher electricity bill, right? Kasama talaga ‘yan ine-expect na ‘yan ng mga tao. Magpapagawa na lang ako ng meme na ipo-post sa FB page ko pampalubag-loob. Next!”

    Yellowtard: “The MRT low-maintenance and the congested traffic situation in metropolis, Sir.”

    PNoy: “Ano pang hindi ko nagagamit na dahilan? Nevermind. Panahon pa ni GMA problema na ‘yan. Ipukol natin ulet sa kanya ang sisi para goody good shoes tayo. May mga supporters pa naman tayong nakikinabang, rather, natutuwa sa atin. NEXT!”

    Yellowtard: “May suggestion si Sen. Poe, Sir. The MRT/LRT challenge. Parang ALS, Sir. Lahat daw po ng politikong icha-challenge apart from commuting ipe-pledge ang pork nila-”

    PNoy: “Nonsense. Do you think I don’t know what it’s like to ride those public vehicles in the middle of our shocking traffic situation?”

    Yellowtard: “You do?”

    PNoy: “Of course! But we need to stick to the Noynoying rule or else the masa may suspect I really don’t know what to do.”

  8. Sec. Petilla says that the 6 Billion peso needed to buy the generators would come from Malampaya fund.

    The catch here would be the lifting of public bidding, rather the DOE would go for a negotiated contract due to lack of time.

    However, the possible additional cost to be shouldered by the public is not clear. We are left with no choice but to pay more even if our power rates is one expensive rates in Asia.

    1. This buying of generators is their solution for the upcoming summer 2015 power crisis, right (as if part of the country is not yet experiencing rotational brownouts for a long time now)? What will happen after the foreseen thinning of the energy supply after this date?

  9. Narra, the truth is the 6 billion is intended to be used only for 3 months, March to May. And, not to buy anymore, but only to rent, or 2 billion per month excluding the fuel price.

    Now, it takes 4 to 5 years to build power plants. Logic dictates, the demand for power supply increases as time goes by. The lack of planning of PNoy administration put as in this situation. They failed to prepare at all.

    DOE is threatening us, pay some more or face massive brownout?

    1. Thanks. Thus “We are left with no choice but to pay more”. We don’t even have an emergency planning so the government’s crisis solution is one where people will shoulder the cost (the fast and easiest solution). Filipinos should do a regular reality check. It’s not like we’re not used to suffering due to gov’s lack of plans and project insinuation, but when we pay more or have to suffer condensing heat during rotational brown outs, is it too much to ask that patience is being risked for an advance and long-term solution?

      1. The Philippines has the highest electricity rates in the world and the lowest per capita income in S.E.Asia,except for Bangl-fuckin -DESH !!! OMG !!!.

        WAKE UP, there is no shortage ,just peculation of the energy markets driving prices sky high and killing the economy ! !

  10. Giving Aquino “emergency power”, is like giving a mentally retarded idiot with match to play with; he will surely set the house “on fire”…
    Aquino has been doing nothing in the past years, except doing “political dramas”…and destroying his political enemies.

    i ask fellow Filipinos, to generate their own electricity…this can be done in each barangay level in a cooperative way. Germany has done it.

    They are advanced in Solar Technology.
    Denmark is advanced in Wind Turbine Technology.

    You can put a Hybrid Solar and Wind Turbine Electric Generator on top of your House, or backyard…it is not Rocket Science…

    Aquino is just lazy, incompetent, corrupt and is the one creating the electric power crisis. So that he, and his business cahoots can make a good profit in the selling of generators.

    Remember the “power crisis” during the Cory Aquino administration…it is the same people, with the same tactic…

    1. “You can put a Hybrid Solar and Wind Turbine Electric Generator on top of your House, or backyard…it is not Rocket Science…”

      A good business to start. Although renewable energy is practical and environment-friendly, in our country it’s unpopular since a one time buy cost too much for a regular Filipino worker unless installation cost is loanable or paid in installment (like the encylopedia set being offered in the 90s), made even more unpopular by the continuous boxing on proposals for the power switch to renewable energy ;/

      1. Government financed and sponsored Solar and Wind Turbine Hybrid built Electric Grids can be in cooperative type. Pattern after Germany. Members can pay electric rates to pay for the monthly payment of the loan…

        Please do something…everything is possible , if you just use your common sense..

        1. Israel has also developed an Garbage Incinerator that can power Electricity.
          The heat from burning garbage can be used as an Energy to propel a Steam Turbine, to run an Electric Generator…there are many wastes and garbages to be burned in our country…these are potential energies…

        2. One Electric Solar and Wind Turbine Grid can power several houses…it can give power to almost 700 houses, depending on its electric power capabilities.

          I hope that some of our Responsible Politician/Leaders will take notice; and work on this project. We are all tired of Political Dramas…

      2. It seems that a lot of Filipinos are ignorant about renewable energy – whether they’re being intentionally kept in the dark by local media or are just typically uninterested in long term thinking.

        Someone recently pointed out a satellite dish on the side of a house and asked me if it was a solar panel.

        1. It is the people selling Generstors;owning stocks at MERALCO; and selling Gasoline…who make the people ignorant on Renewable Energy…
          They are mostly Aquino and Cojuangco family cahoots…

    2. Tumpak ka Hyden kaso ang mga Filipinos ay likas na Tanga at Tamad (TT). Naniwala na sa panloloko nung Ina at hangang ngayun naniniwala pa rin sa panlolokonung Anak. Ang masama pa diyan ay hindi lang Tanga at Tamad yung Anak kundi may Topak pa.

  11. No need for emergency powers. What is needed is a special law suspending procurement laws for the purpose of renting generators and buying oil and maintenance for such generators; as well as request for supplemental budget for such purpose. Safety measures to prevent supplier price fixing, collusion and transferring costs to consumers, should be indicated in the special law. should come from the presidential special purpose funds and no need for Malampaya funds. The legislative branch should strike down any request for emergency powers as regular powers are available to the president and the energy secretary were they competent enough to handle the issue. If not, they should step aside and let more competent technocrats do it.

    1. The Senators and Congresspeople are Aquino’s cahhots. They are all alllied to people selling Electric Generators and Gasoline…

      So, no way to do it; except Generate your own Electricity, to break the business and political monopoly of Aquino and his business cahoots.

      1. The Energy Secretary does not know anything about Energy. He is just there as a Decoration of Aquino…anyway, he is paid doing nothing… He is also allied to Aquino’s cahoots and business partners.

        They all will make a huge profit selling Electric Generators and Gasoline. Plus, the Energy fund, they will Steal…

        MONEY! MONEY! MONEY! Lots of money to be made!!!

        1. The shortage is a fantasy, it doesn’t exist. Energy speculation is getting the major stock-holders rich, and they don’t care about people trying to run business’s or manufacture something to stimulate the economy!

          and the people that are the mouth-pieces are just FOS as the day is long !

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