Two senators on Tuesday deplored the Department of Energy’s (DOE) indifference in arresting any possibility of rotational brownouts happening in the upcoming May 2022 national elections.

“This is unacceptable! Kaya tayo merong DOE ay para siguraduhing meron tayong kuryente (The reason why we have the DOE is to ensure we will have power) all the time. Isa lang ang trabaho ng DOE, yan ay siguraduhin na may kuryente tayo (The DOE has only one job, that is to make sure we have electricity),” Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said in a statement.

“So, it’s unacceptable na even an iota or possibility of brownouts during the election period ay hahayaan nilang mangyari (they will let it happen). It’s their job to address that situation,” Gatchalian emphasized.

The Senate Energy Committee chair further lamented how Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has no categorical statement ensuring the sufficiency of power supply when this early, energy officials already forecasted the thinning of power supply on election day and thereafter.

As early as now, he said it is important for the DOE to be proactive and be able to identify solutions and undertake steps to ensure there would be no brownouts during the 2022 elections.

“For example, pinaka mabilis diyan ay scheduling. ‘Yung ating mga planta dapat ngayon pa lang nire-repair na nila, kumuha na ng spare parts, ayusin na nila para pagdating ng summer, tuloy-tuloy ang suplay ng kuryente, (They can do scheduling. Our power plants should be repaired as early as possible, the should acquire spare parts, fix these things so that by summer, there is full electricity supply),” Gatchalian said.

The senator said his committee will resume its hearing towards the end of the year in preparation for next year. He said it is imperative for the Senate to ensure the integrity and accuracy of next year’s elections as under existing law, the counting of ballots cast is carried out through automated system.

“We do not want any cloud of doubt when it comes to our automated elections,” he said.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros echoed Gatchalian’s sentiment saying the DOE should stop making threats and instead find ways to ensure there would be no power disruptions next year.

She said such statements coming from Cusi is an indirect threat to the canvassing of votes come May next year and fuels insecurity in the country’s electoral process.

“Malinaw sa mga pagdinig sa Senado tungkol sa rotational blackout na wala raw power crisis. Walang power crisis pero nagbabala sila ng posibleng power outage (It was clear they assured during the Senate hearing about the rotational brownouts that there is no power crisis. No power crisis yet they warned of a possible power outage)?” Hontiveros pointed out.

“Mind conditioning ba ito na magkakaroon ng blackout sa halalan (Is this mind conditioning already that we are going to have blackouts in the coming elections)?” she asked.

“DOE should refrain from making such statements and instead find ways to ensure that there will be no disruptions in power supply come May 2022,” the senator reiterated.