Walk the talk

Ruffy Magbanua

THE persistent noise that the Movement for a Brownout-Free Mindanao has trumpeted for a while now, in a way, has  pressured the government to act decisively  (read: hopefully) on the growing concern on transmission bombings and right-of-way concerns in Mindanao.

Apparently alarmed by the situation, Malacanang ordered the Department of Energy (DOE) last week to spearhead  an inter-agency special task force purportedly to come up with emergency measures to resolve the swelling problem of power transmission infrastructures in Mindanao.

As volunteer watchdog for the uninterrupted and sustainable power supply, the movement, a coalition of concerned power consumers in Mindanao, has afforded to become a voice of the silent majority in search of fairness, justice, and truth.

It has significantly made itself relevant vis-à-vis the prolonged outages triggered by tower bombings and right-of-way issues. At least, we have leveled the playing field all for consumers’ sake.

On how the task force will deliver results, this remains to be seen. The game plan is to tap leading power industry players like the National Transmission Corp. (Transco) to take on the right-of-way problem, AFP and PNP for security, the Department of Justice (DOJ) for legal matters, NGCP for community relations, and DOE for the IEC campaign.

Transco was given a marching order of coming out with an inventory and identification of lands, including vegetation and structures underneath power lines, valuation of properties, expropriation and restoration activities. We ask this question: Where have all the records gone?

The AFP and PNP were tasked to coordinate with the host communities   and secure transmission facilities. Do they have enough personnel to man each tower?

The justice department will apply all legal remedies to ensure that all actions taken are within the bounds of the law. We do not want this maxim to happen: justice delayed, justice denied.

NGCP and the energy department will work hand in hand  for stronger community relations through massive IEC campaigns, and strengthened social engagements. Empowered communities and truth in advertising are all what we want to see and hear.

Its resources pooled into one common ground, we expect that the task force will not be all tasks but a force to reckon with.

With the election fever going gaga, stable power supply must be put in place this early. Yes Virginia, the problem lies on the transmission, and not generation.

We hope Malacanang is online as we take PNoy’s kayo-ang-boss-ko line seriously this time. Lastly, we urge the inter-agency task force to walk the talk.  Now.