Power failure

Ruffy Magbanua

HOW would  you rate the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) in the last seven years?

In fairness, NGCP is a powerhouse but a power failure in the delivery of its social obligation per se.

This assessment is duly seconded by Mindanao’s business community saying a probe must be conducted on NGCP’s failure to combat power outages.

Lately, the country’s lone private transmission operator warned the public of a grid collapse in Mindanao should bombings continue at an unprecedented pace.  If this happens, then by all means, the government should not think twice of withdrawing its contract with NGCP.

After all, the welfare of the electric consumers comes first before anything else, in this case the delivery of electricity should be unhampered 24/7. Electric   consumers deserve no less.

That said, the Mindanao Business Council chaired by our good friend Vicente Lao is pushing for the immediate investigation whether NGCP should be held accountable for its alleged neglect in protecting power transmission facilities.

MBC is sending a strong message to NGCP: embrace transparency. Alarmed with the way NGCP handles its social engagement, Chairman Lao wants to know the real reasons for the outages.

Bureaucracy in government is not an excuse.  Earlier, there was this announcement that the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) is duty bound to resolve right-of-way problems, openly tagged by NGCP as the main reason why bombings proliferate in the Lanao areas.

Clearly enough, when things go wrong, Transco gets the blame. But the deafening silence of Transco on right-of-way issues may mean something else —  worthy of a peek at the paper trail.

After all these years, NGCP is still at it–crying over spilled milk every time a tower is toppled down. We can say this straight from the heart. I’ve been there, done that.

A corporate kid raised with golden spoon, NGCP should act on its own by now–no ifs nor buts. A can-do attitude is all what it takes to make a difference.

To call for help to wipe off corporate tears is self-pity. It’s a no brainer either.   Instead, we suggest this line made famous in the medical field: if symptoms persist, call a real doctor–not a spin doctor to sway public opinion.

The “good boy” image NGCP tries to project is pure gimmickry, a sort of suicidal attempt to hide its weaknesses at the expense of the electric consumers.

Time for a wake-up call. Or bust.