Malacañang gave assurance on Sunday it will lay down clearly before Congress exactly what it wants when Palace officials formally convey President Aquino’s request for the passage of a joint resolution granting the government emergency powers to quickly address the anticipated energy-supply crisis expected to worsen by summer next year.
This, even as lawmakers from both chambers of Congress were likely to get tied up in lengthy deliberations over the P2.63-trillion 2015 budget bill, as well as expected protracted debates over the proposed Bangsamoro basic law, creating a new entity that will replace the soon-to- be abolished Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
“Well, we will continue to work with our colleagues in the Senate and in the Lower House to make sure that everybody has clear footing on what the President wants to do in terms of the emergency powers that he spoke of,” Palace Deputy Spokesman Abigail Valte said on Sunday.
She added the Palace would clarify parameters of the sought-after emergency powers “at kung hanggang saan ito tatakbo [up to the limits of its authority].”
Valte also allayed concerns there was enough time to implement supplementary measures to address the looming energy-supply shortage without the Palace needing to invoke emergency powers provided under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.
“You know, the President is not a person that gets spooked easily. Pagdating po diyan sa energy, kinokonsulta naman po ng ating energy secretary [Jericho Petilla] ‘yung mga iba’t ibang stakeholders, tinitingnan po natin ‘yung magiging projection,” she added of the plan to consult Energy Secretary Jericho L. Petilla and the various stakeholders who have a clear appreciation of the projected energy-supply shortfall.
The deputy spokesman recalled that Petilla had also sought to clarify the matter earlier. “Nagsalita na rin po si Secretary Petilla doon nga sa sitwasyon sa 2015. Kasi, alam naman po natin, a lot of the plants run on hydropower, which is reliant on water, so pagdating po ng summer ay talagang nade-deplete o nawawala po ‘yung suplay o nakukulangan. So, siguro po mas mabuti na pong magpakasigurado po tayo dahil mahirap po na kapag nandiyan na ay doon pa lang ho gagalaw ang pamahalaan.”