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To repair power lines destroyed by typhoons, Gatchalian to push for more funds in NEA's budget
To repair power lines destroyed by typhoons, Gatchalian to push for more funds in NEA's budget
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Monday called for more than a 100% increase in the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) proposed budget for 2021 to fund electric cooperatives’ (EC) repair of damaged power lines and infrastructures.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, said there should be an additional P550-million in the P200-million allocation for the Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF) in anticipation of natural calamities and disasters that could happen in 2021.
“I would like to state for the record as early as now that with the onslaught of the natural calamities this year, I will be proposing that this amount be increased since the total damage to electric cooperatives from the Taal eruption and typhoons Ambo, Quinta, Rolly and Ulysses already amounts to P829 million as of Nov. 16, 2020,” Gatchalian said.
“Considering the extent of damage left behind by the series of typhoons that devastated several areas in the country, the original proposed appropriation for ECERF would not suffice to cover the cost of repair work of the ECs,” he noted.
ECERF, under Republic Act No. 11039, was institutionalized last year as a ready fund that can be tapped by ECs for faster restoration of electricity and power facilities damaged by natural calamities.
Funds under ECERF are being administered and managed by the NEA.
The ECERF was given an appropriation of P250-million for this year. Next year’s proposed allocation for the ECERF is placed at P200-million.
The senator said augmenting the funds for the ECERF is to assure the availability of funds in times of any fortuitous event or force majeure in the coming year.
“Alam naman natin na ang consumers ay naging biktima rin ng bagyo kaya po itong pondo na ito ay gagamitin sa mga ganitong sitwasyon para hindi na ipasa ang pagpapagawa ng mga poste sa ating mga consumers (We all know that all consumers are victims during typhoons that’s why we will use this fund for this kind of situation so we no longer have to burden consumers with reconstructing electric posts),” the senator explained.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na itong mga kooperatiba natin dito ay magkakaroon ng access sa pondong yan para mabilis ang repair ng mga nasirang poste ng kuryente (We will make sure ECs will have access to these fund so they can easily repair damaged electric posts),” Gatchalian added.