Senator Raffy Tulfo has urged government agencies and different stakeholders from the energy sector to stop the ‘’blame game’’ concerning the persistent and recurring power outages and blackouts in different parts of the country.

During the public hearing of the Senate Committee on Energy chaired by Tulfo on Sept. 6, he said that instead of pointing fingers, all parties involved should work together and exert concerted efforts to solve the issue of brownouts and high cost of electricity.

Tulfo made the statement during the hearing as stakeholders from different energy sectors, cooperatives and regulators showed ‘’lack of communication’’ between and among them as they failed to admit their shortcomings on issues involving power outages.

For one, no one admitted their shortcomings when Occidental Mindoro Vice Governor Anecita Apigo-Tayag raised her concern about the persistent brownouts in the province, the longest of which reaches up to 36 hours.

Department of Energy Secretary (DOE) Secretary Raphael Lotilla, who was present during the hearing, acknowledged Tulfo’s call to ensure coordination among all involved parties, saying, “This is a difficult time for all of the parties but we will make sure that there is coordination among agencies.”

Among those who attended the hybrid hearing were representatives from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), National Electrification Administration (NEA), National Power Corporation (NPC), National Transmission Corporation (TRANSCO), Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative, INC (OMECO), and Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corp, to name a few.

Rather than apply a band-aid fix, Tulfo maintained that the hearing was conducted to “discover a systemic solution” to the problem.

“Even before I was elected as a Senator, I have already been receiving numerous complaints regarding the persistent and recurring power outages coupled with high electricity rates that had been adversely affecting the economic activities and livelihood of the people in these areas,” he said.

“We are familiar that the energy industry is divided into several sectors, namely, generation, transmission, and distribution. Even though they are distinct and separate industries, each one's problems affect the others,” he added.

Tulfo has expressed concern about the long-standing and persistent power outages in different provinces, which he earlier said continues to threaten the country's national security.