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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Pacquiao challenges Cusi: 'Show you're worthy of your post'

Pacquiao challenges Cusi: 'Show you're worthy of your post'

Published Jun 17, 2021 04:37 pm

Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao on Thursday, June 17 challenged Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to show he is worthy of leading the Department of Energy (DOE) amid the power supply issues hounding the country.

During the Senate Committee on Energy’s probe into the rotating brownouts that hit Luzon and Metro Manila, Pacquiao told Cusi to stop blaming others and making alibis.

“As much as possible, if that is connected to your job, let’s make every effort to provide comfort for the people. Let’s not make up excuses or alibis,” Pacquiao said in mixed English and Filipino during the hearing.

“To Secretary Cusi, nothing personal, but I hope we can stop these brownouts that are happening. You were appointed to that post in the energy department as energy secretary because the President believed in you,” he stressed.

He said it is time that the DOE comes up with a mechanism that would improve and develop the country’s energy sector instead of offering same explanations each time they are grilled about the state of the power industry.

“Show then that you are worthy of your post and take action immediately on whatever problem that is related to your work,” the boxer-turned-politician also said.

For his part, Cusi quickly assured that the DOE is committed to face the challenge facing the power sector “wholeheartedly.”

“We hear the call of Sen. Manny Pacquiao and we understand what you said and you can be assured that the DOE will face the challenge wholeheartedly,” Cusi said.

Pacquiao earlier slammed Cusi for being “incompetent” and accused the DOE chief of prioritizing politics over public service when the latter spearheaded a general assembly of the Partido Demokratikong Pilipino –Laban (PDP-Laban) where they pushed a resolution calling for President Duterte to run in the May 2022 vice presidential elections.

The senator had called the PDP-Laban meeting held in Cebu City as illegal. Pacquiao is the political party’s president, while Cusi is its vice-chairman.

Pacquiao, however, maintained his criticism against Cusi was not due to personal issues but out of concern for the people, especially power consumers.

“Our consumers are greatly affected, especially those who are studying online and those who are working,” he stressed.

Related Tags

rotating brownouts Alfonso Cusi power outages DOE Manny Pacquiao PDP-Laban party
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