SENATOR Raffy Tulfo welcomed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr’s call for aggressive action to address the country’s short-term and long-term energy requirements.

Tulfo thanked Marcos for promptly responding to the pressing issue of energy, saying that concerted efforts from the Legislative and Executive branches of the government could help prevent a looming energy crisis.

“Taos puso ang pasasalamat ko kay Pangulong Bongbong Marcos para sa kaniyang agarang pag-tugon sa nagbabadyang energy crisis. Maraming bansa ang kasalukuyan nang kinakaharap ito. Mabuti at maaga pa ay naghahanda na tayo,” he said.

“Sa pagtutulungan ng Senado at ng Ehekutibo, mapipigilan natin ang energy crisis o kung hindi man, maaalalayan naman natin ang ating mga kababayan sa mga epekto nito,” he added.

Marcos Jr. recently met with officials of the DOE and other related agencies to brainstorm what steps to take to guarantee energy supply.

Following the said meeting, the President reportedly said the government should be aggressive in addressing the country’s energy problems, underscoring the need to find ways to ensure that the country has enough power at least in the short term.

As chairman of the Energy Committee, Tulfo already started looking for short-term solutions to the country’s energy problem by investigating the root causes of high electricity costs in various on-grid and off-grid areas.

First off, Tulfo looked into the mismanagement of electric cooperatives that are possibly resulting in the increase in electricity cost.

“Mula sa aming imbestigasyon, napag-alaman namin na dapat magkaroon ng batas upang ma-regulate nang mas mahigpit ng National Electrification Administration (NEA) ang mga board members ng mga electric cooperatives upang matigil na ang pagwawaldas nila ng pera ng mga miyembro ng kooperatiba,” he said.

“Sa ganitong pamamaraan, ang kinikita ng mga electric cooperatives mula sa kanilang serbisyo ay mapupunta sa imprastruktura at hindi sa bulsa. Kaakibat nito, inilalathala na din namin ang ilang mga batas na makakatulong sa mabilisang interconnection na isinasagawa ng NGCP sapagkat malaking hadlang sa kanila ang mga kaso ng expropriation kung saan hindi sila nabibigyan ng “right of way” upang mapatayo ang mga transmission lines, towers, at transformers.

“Sisiguraduhin ko na proportionate ang pag-akyat ng presyo ng diesel at ng fuel products abroad sa pag-akyat ng presyo dito sa ating bansa. Sa estado ng fuel market ngayon, makikita na may iilang tao na ginagamit na lamang ang kakaunting pag-angat ng presyo sa world market upang maging dahilan maningil ng napakalaki para lamang kumita ng mas madaming pera,” he said.

To solve the long-term energy crisis, meanwhile, Tulfo said he will closely coordinate with the DOE to study the necessary laws needed to implement the off-shore wind farms proposed by President Marcos Jr.

It can be recalled that Tulfo earlier filed Proposed Senate Resolution (PSR) No. 107 seeking to find an immediate solution to an impending energy crisis and adopt necessary legislative measures that will provide long-term energy security, sufficiency, and stability to all Filipinos.