Members of the so-called “power bloc” of the House of Representatives have sought the restoration of the National Electrification Administration’s proposed subsidy of P9.304 billion for next year to ensure the full roll-out of its Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) before President Duterte’s term ends in 2022.
PHILRECA partylist Rep. Presley De Jesus, RECOBODA partylist Rep. Godofredo Guya, APEC partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc, , Ako Padayon partylist Rep. Adriano Ebcas, and RECOBODA partylist Rep. Godofredo Guya filed House Resolution No. 1245 seeking budget augmentation for NEA to ensure the continued implementation of the SEP Phase II, Barangay Line Enhancement Program, and Electric Cooperative Emergency Resiliency Fund of the government.
They lament that the original proposed budget of NEA was slashed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to only P1.827 billion as indicated in the 2021 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
“The P1.827 billion will only be enough to energize around 1,085 sites next year, as the average cost of electrifying a sitio is at least P1.5 million,” the lawmakers said.
They noted that the for the first semester of the current year alone, the NEA was able to energize 667 sitios and start enhancement of grid line connection for a few barangays and that NEA, through the electric cooperatives as its implementing arm, was able to energize 123, 726 sitios or 84 percent of the targeted 147, 989 sitios.
“There are about 12,000 sitios or about 1.7 million households left without access to electricity and the NEA aproximates that it would need at least P18 billion to do so,” they said.
They noted that President Duterte directed the Department of Energy (DOE) and the NEA to complete the rural electrification and ensure total electricity access for all Filipinos by 2022.
“Granting the proposed budget would allow NEA to energize an additional 3,915 sitios and start enhance the grid connections of 74 barangays, including seven barangays under the National Task Force-End Local Communist Armed Conflict and 13 submarine cabling projects,” the group said.
According to them, the proposed budget would also augment the recommended P200 million Electric Cooperative Emergency Resiliency Fund making it a total of P750 million as provided for in Republic Act No. 11039, otherwise known as the "Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund Act" for restoration and rehabilitation of the damaged infrastructures after fortuitous events or force majeure.
“To be able to fully and effectively implement the directive of President Duterte as well as to finally provide access to electricity for all Filipinos, the NEA should be given the full amount it has proposed, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the access to electricity is becoming an increasingly necessary prerequisite as we transition to the new normal,” they said.