Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi has told the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER) to prepare for the "worst-case scenario" in connection with the Taal Volcano situation, which has emerged alongside the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"I instructed the DOE-led Task Force on Energy Resiliency to be on full alert, activate action and business continuity plans, prepare for the worst-case scenario with the current COVID-19 pandemic," Cusi said in a statement over the weekend.
He also directed the task force to "maintain round-the-clock communications, especially with NDRRMC (National Disaster Risk Reduction Council) and DOST-Phivolcs (Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology)."
"The entire energy family will continue to monitor the situation. We will immediately address any adverse impact on energy systems and facilities, if permitted. We urge our kababayans to stay alert and be aware of potential hazards and safety concerns, and to fully cooperate with the local government units," the secretary said.
The TFER, chaired by Undersecretary Alexander Lopez, held an emergency meeting Friday, July 2 following pronouncements from Phivolcs that a major eruption of Taal Volcano could happen in the coming days.
During the meeting, the TFER secretariat presented the possible worst-case scenarios for both power and oil supply with the corresponding action plans based on lessons learned during the Taal eruption in 2020.
The Batangas I Electric Cooperative (BATELEC I) and Batangas II Electric Cooperative (BATELEC II) shared the lessons they learned in 2020 and discussed their action and restoration plans.
On the other hand, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) presented their first-hand experiences last year before tackling their enhanced actions plans featuring additional equipment and restoration crew complements.
In terms of oil supply, the DOE-Oil Industry and Management Bureau called on oil industry players to be prepared with their contingency plans.