President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. ought to revive his late father's energy conservation drive, if only to reduce the government's hefty annual utilities and fuel expenses, House Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto said.
"Surging inflation or not, the government’s P91 billion annual utilities and fuel bill should prompt President Marcos Jr. to relaunch a better version of his father’s 1970s 'enercon campaign,'" Recto said in a statement Wednesday, March 8.
“Economics and environment should be the driving force behind the campaign. For the people to support it, it should be framed as saving money and saving the Earth at the same time,” he said.
"Dapat (It must be) comprehensive. A national framework of which a four-day work-week, as proposed by the Finance secretary, is but one component,” noted the former Senate President pro tempore.
Recto said that in 2019 or before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the country, the national government, local government units (LGUs) and government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCCs) paid an accumulated P43.2 billion for power, water, and gas.
On top of this is the P47.5 billion in "fuel, oil and lubricant” expenses it racked up that year.
“That’s about P90.7 billion in a year. Makatipid ka ng 10 percent, P9 billion na savings na, na pwedeng i-rechannel pambili ng gamot sa mga ospital (Saving 10 percent means saving P9 billion that could be rechanneled to buy medicines for hospitals),” Recto said.
He feared that the yearly governnent utilities expenses could breach P100 billion of nothing is done about it.
He said President Marcos should launch the enercon drive now before a rise in air-conditioner use, low water levels in hydroelectric dams, and distribution line trip-offs combine to trigger power outages this summer.
But Recto said the parameters of the enercon campaign should be properly defined by a Palace order so as not to harm essential services.
“You don’t cut back on police and military patrols. Pero ‘yung sistema na gas coupons na kahit pribado na sasakyan pwedeng makakuha, itigil na (But giving gas coupons to those with private vehicles should already be stopped). Ambulance runs should be exempt. As to hospitals, walang bawas, kasi essential ‘yan (no reductions there because those are essential),” he said.