Cusi identifies the challenge attached to reopening PH economy
Reopening the Philippine economy from all the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-triggered lockdowns presents a "challenge" to the local power industry.

Thus, said Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi on Tuesday, April 27 during the virtual meeting of the Joint Congressional Energy Commission (JCEC).
“We are now reopening the economy, and I am sure that there will be a high demand for power. That is a challenge for all the industry players to meet," Cusi said in his speech.
"I know that the industry players are working and cooperating, but we really need to do more. We need added capacity,” he stressed.
At any rate, he assured the attending legislators in the meeting that the energy sector was "trying to protect the interest of the people and we are working on that".
Also in his speech, Cusi told the JCEC that the DOE had been working hard to ensure a stable power supply during the summer months and the rest of 2021, especially with the ongoing roll out of the government's mass vaccination program against COVID-19.
He said the government is looking into the full compliance of entities as per the various policies of the DOE, particularly those pertaining to the obligation to provide sufficient levels of ancillary services or power reserves.
The energy chief also took the occasion to thank the energy sector's frontliners for performing their duties well and ensuring the unimpeded delivery of services amid the health crisis.