Senator Bong Go (Senate PRIB)



Senator Christopher "Bong" Go has expressed his dismay and concern over the unresolved power outages in Davao del Norte, which have led to the damage of critical medical equipment of health facilities in the region. Go, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, highlighted the severity of the situation by saying, "These power fluctuations are not just inconveniences, they are causing damage to life-saving medical equipment.” The failure of the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (NORDECO) to address persistent power outages have resulted in the damage of important medical equipment at the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) in Tagum City, according to hospital chief Dr. Bryan Dalid. Two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, four computerized tomography scans, and one medical linear accelerator machine are now reportedly non-operational caused by power-related damage. Go described the situation as "dire and unacceptable". even as he cited an incident where a patient was unable to receive critical MRI at DRMC due to power-related equipment failures. "NORDECO's failure to resolve the power fluctuations is resulting in the devastation of vital medical equipment, leaving patients in dire straits," he said. "I was approached by a patient who had to seek an MRI scan elsewhere because our machines are non-operational due to these fluctuations. This is profoundly concerning and something we cannot stand for," he added. NORDECO previously committed to resolve power supply issues by June 30, and connect Samal to the grid from Pantukan. However, this project is still ongoing. In the interim, a modular generator set has been installed to ensure power supply in Samal. Meanwhile, in an interview on July 13, after aiding poor residents in Tagum City, Go said that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is authorized to impose fines against electric cooperatives, with penalties ranging from P50,000 to P50 million. He further called on that ERC to study the process and basis of penalizing cooperatives for delayed projects, a step they have not taken before but are currently considering. "Kami po sa Kongreso, pwede rin pong... may give consideration to other franchise kung sakaling hindi talaga maganda ang serbisyo (We in Congress can consider other franchises if the current one is not satisfactory),” said Go, indicating a potential reassessment of NORDECO’s franchise if the situation does not improve. Despite his strong statements, Go clarified that he harbors no ill will against NORDECO. He underscored the public's rights for reliable electricity services. Go also elaborated on the detrimental effects of brownouts, which not only inconvenience the residents but also harm the local economy. He argued that tourism is affected, many people lose jobs, equipment risk damage, and even the water supply could be affected in the absence of electricity.