Several lawmakers offer suggestions on how to solve PH electricity supply problem;
Sen. Ejercito thinks it’s high time to review EPIRA law, open to use of nuclear energy
Sen. Ejercito thinks it’s high time to review EPIRA law, open to use of nuclear energy
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00:00 The extreme heat has left the country's power grid on overload with power plants shutting
00:04 down for a few hours to recover, leaving tens or even hundreds of thousands all across the
00:09 country in the dark or without power during the day.
00:13 Sadly, there is no guarantee for uninterrupted power supply nowadays.
00:18 So how Solance have come up with a number of proposals to keep the juice running as
00:22 narrated by Ramela Las Moras in this story.
00:27 For May Zulueta who runs a small eatery in Quezon City, having a stable and uninterrupted
00:33 power supply is very important.
00:35 She said she can't run the business without electricity.
00:39 Even more, the customers could not handle the extreme heat without electric fans.
00:43 So she's hoping, amid the threats of rotational brownouts, the government can find a solution.
00:48 "Even if it's too hot, don't run out.
00:51 It's too hard, ma'am.
00:52 If we run out, we can't sell anything.
00:54 It's too dark, we don't have electricity, we don't have cooking.
00:59 We can't cook."
01:01 Here at the House of Representatives, several lawmakers suggested a number of proposals
01:06 to resolve the country's power woes.
01:08 For Bukidnon Second District Representative Jonathan Keith Flores, it's high time to increase
01:13 our power sources.
01:15 "Well, in Mindanao, it's still a bit hot until now, but the supply of electricity
01:20 should be planned ahead.
01:24 As the population grows, we should also look for other sources of electricity in advance.
01:29 So I think renewable is the way to go, and I think we should focus on that also."
01:33 The Makabayan Block, meanwhile, wants to investigate the issue to determine the root cause of the
01:39 problem.
01:40 "Yes, definitely.
01:41 And the electricity is rising again.
01:43 So if the electricity is rising, we really need to call for hearings."
01:48 "Well, we will file a resolution to investigate this seemingly unpreparedness that is happening
01:56 to our genkos.
01:58 It's been happening for years, and yet when there are times like this, they are rising.
02:07 This is the reason why the price of electricity is rising."
02:12 On the part of the Senate, Senator JV Ejercito said the time to review the EPIRA law has come.
02:17 He's also open to calls to utilize nuclear energy.
02:20 "I'm open to it if it will really bring down the cost of electricity.
02:24 That will help a lot in attracting foreign direct investments.
02:27 We need to put in new power plants because the requirements are not getting smaller.
02:32 It should be proportionate to the growth of our population and businesses."
02:36 The other senators agreed this issue must be investigated very soon.
02:41 Melales Moras from the National TV Network for a new and better Philippines.
02:45 Philippines.