SENATOR Raffy Tulfo has urged the Department of Energy (DOE) to strengthen its “Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop” (EVOSS) task group to alleviate the persistent and recurring brownouts in the different parts of the country and address other energy-related issues.

In making such a proposal during the hybrid hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy, Wednesday, Sept. 14, Tulfo stressed the need for a council that will coordinate and monitor each agency’s task and expedites energy-related processes and projects.

Tulfo initially proposed the creation of a separate inter-agency council that would coordinate agencies and expedites energy-related processes. Still, he later pushed for the strengthening of the EVOSS after DOE Officer-in-Charge Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan revealed that EVOSS has been in operation for years.

The senator from Isabela maintained that there are so many energy-related concerns that could have been addressed had there been cooperation between and among all agencies from the energy sector.

“Ito ho bang council ay gumagana? Dahil kung pagbabatayan ang huling energy hearing, mukhang hindi ito gumagana sapagkat nagtuturuan po yung mga agencies na umattend tuwing sila po ay natatanong ko ukol sa problema sa ating enerhiya,” he said.

Tulfo said that the inter-agency council was formed to speed up the issuance of permits, but he hopes that they don’t limit themselves to permits but also address and discuss energy-related problems.

He also urged the council to conduct face-to-face meetings to resolve the many problems that are popping up in the energy sector.

According to Tulfo, one of these longstanding problems is the unpaid government subsidies of the National Power Corporation (Napocor) to power producers, which threatens to worsen the persistent and recurring power outages in different parts of the country, including Palawan and Occidental Mindoro.

As such, Tulfo particularly asked Napocor to explain its unpaid Universal Charge for Missionary Electrification (UCME) fees to Delta P and Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corporation (OMCPC), amounting to roughly P441 million and P500 million, respectively.

Notably, Delta P and OMCPC conveyed their plans to “shut down” their operations amid rising global fuel prices and unpaid government subsidies.

“Saan napunta ang halos isang bilyon? Ang concern ko din talaga ay maaaring hindi lang Occidental Mindoro o Palawan ang nag-eexpect po ng bayad o receivables from you. Paano pa po sa ibang lugar? Siguro bilyon-bilyon na po ang inyong utang sa mga cooperatives,” he said.

Napocor Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Melchor Ridulme explained that among the reasons for their failure to pay government subsidies to power producers like Delta P and OMCPS, is the “spike” in fuel prices.

Given the current situation, Tulfo told Napocor and other energy-related agencies to “work and find solutions together”.

“Ang akin pong pakiusap, ay mag-usap-usap po kayo. Magkaisa kayo. Kung kailangan niyo pa po ng tulong namin, ako po, bilang Chairperson ng Energy Committee, I will help. Huwag na kayong magturuan,” Tulfo urged.

Tulfo added that ensuring that the energy sector delivers the right service to the Filipino public is important.

“Kailangan siguraduhin natin na nakakapagbigay tayo ng tamang serbisyo sa taumbayan dahil yun naman po ang dahilan kung bakit tayo nasa gobyerno – to serve the people. Tayo po ay public servant at mga boss po natin ang mga consumers,” he said.

3rd Congressional District of Palawan Congressman Edward Hagedorn, who attended the hearing virtually, said he hopes that Tulfo can unite all energy-related agencies to improve the persistent and recurring brownouts not just in Palawan but in other places in the country.

Tulfo replied to Hagedorn jokingly: “Maasahan mo yan Congressman Hagedorn. Sanay po akong gumamit ng latigo. Kung kinakailangan ay nilalatigo ko po – noong ako po ay broadcaster pa lamang ay ginagawa ko na ito – yung mga nagtatamad-tamaran na lingkod-bayan.”

While he did not mean it literally, Tulfo explained he is used to pushing government workers, especially those who are slacking off, “to work very hard and above standard” by using harsh but encouraging words, which he believed to be the language that they understand.

Tulfo has consistently expressed concern about the longstanding and persistent power outages in different provinces, which earlier said continue to threaten the country’s national security.