MOLO, Iloilo City – Nacionalista Party presidential candidate Senator Manuel Villar Jr. Thursday expressed concern over the impending power crisis that could hit the country during the actual exercise of the May 10, 2010 automated elections.

Villar said it is imperative that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) makes its final assessment whether it is prepared to conduct fully computerized elections or if it is amenable to a partial automation.

“My appeal to the Comelec is to admit it as early as they can, if they are not yet prepared for it so that we can revert to the partial count,” Villar said.

“That way, we can minimize the anxiety all candidates and the public feels regarding the May automated elections,” Villar said.

Villar said that while the Nacionalista Party is prepared to go through an automated election, concerns over the power shortage still gives them an uneasy feeling.

“We're preparing for (automated polls). Although we have worries but of course that's the law, our assumption is full automation. (The power crisis) is part of our worries,” Villar said.

Villar said it is important that the government focuses its attention in addressing the power concerns because in the first place, the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 need to be amended.

“The power industry has many structural problems. We know that the bulk of distribution in the country is with Meralco (Manila Electric Co.) and not here in the Visayas. We need to face these structural problems, it should be faced by whoever becomes president,” he said.

His running mate Sen. Loren Legarda, on the other hand, is anxious over the worsening drought all over the country.

Legarda, meanwhile, proposed rehabilitation of irrigation systems of all local government units as one major effort to thwart the effects of El Niño.

“Let’s rehabilitate our irrigation systems and small water impounding projects of our LGUs and farmers and cooperatives,” Legarda said.

Legarda said she believes the government has enough funds to address the situation under the 2010 General Appropriations Act (GAA).

“Yes, (we have funds for that) because proceeds from Malampaya (natural gas exploration) that should have been the source of (rehabilitation funds for) victims of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng have yet to be released,” Legarda said.

“Second, the 2010 budget has been signed and there’s a provision for El Niño because the Department of Agriculture budget, which I worked for, is climate-sensitive,” Legarda said.

Since cash transfers for Ondoy and Pepeng victims have yet to be finalized, funds for a possible drought should now be distributed to avert agricultural crisis, Legarda said.