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PamCham Calls for Immediate Resolution of Rotating Brownouts |
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Written by Joyce Duldulao
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Saturday, 10 April 2010 |
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PamCham appeals to the local distribution companies to exhaust all means possible and necessary to address and immediately resolve the power crisis as evidenced by the rotating brownouts which can potentially counteract the unprecedented development realized by the province these past years.
While the chamber acknowledges that the expected increase in household and industry demand for electricity in the summer season coupled by the diminishing supply of energy generation caused by the portent of a long dry spell by the El Nino phenomenon are both major factors aggravating the energy dilemma, this should not prevent the local distribution companies – SFELAPCO and PELCO to appeal for and insist on priority supply of energy from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to meet the requirements of the business and industry sector in the province.
The interruption in operation caused by the brownouts slows down productivity, causing tremendous losses for businesses in terms of diminished manpower efficiency, upset production schedule which causes delays in the delivery of goods and services to clients. These consequent disruptions in business activities will eventually affect employment and household income in the macro level if the problem will not be resolved straight away.
PamCham also elevates its appeal to the national government and its energy managers to tenaciously persist in seeking solutions to the crisis, not only in the short term but for the ultimate assurance of a steady power supply in the long term. If not resolved properly and in the absence of an alternative source of energy to supplement hydroelectric power, the energy dilemma will persist. This will definitely discourage investors who will plausibly look elsewhere to locate. The consequence of which is economic deceleration or worse development retardation, potentially undermining all the economic breakthroughs pulled off by the government recently. It is therefore imperative that the power crisis be resolved without delay to avoid further deterioration in business activities which is detrimental to the economic well being of our country.
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