Jinggoy laments massive power crisis in Panay Island; urges gov't to resolve its severity
Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Wednesday, January 3 called on the government to come up with a mechanism to address the massive power outage that hit Panay Island.
“The severity of the power shortage in Panay Island cannot be overstated. The absence of electricity not only affects households but also cripples businesses, hospitals, and other crucial services that depend on a reliable power source,” Estrada said in a statement.
“This issue needs to be resolved immediately and efficiently. I urge the concerned government agencies, power utilities, and relevant stakeholders to prioritize and expedite the resolution of the power crisis in Panay Island,” he further said.
The power outage hit all major cities and provinces in Western Visayas on Tuesday, January 2.
In an advisory, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said that the power disturbance in the power plants in Panay Island happened around 2:27 p.m., eventually halting operations in the Negros-Panay grid.
Estrada said he finds it unfortunate that the power outage happened at the start of the New Year.
“Nakakalungkot na sa pagpapalit ng taon, sa ikalawang araw ng Bagong Taon, brownout ang tumambad sa ating mga kababayan sa Western Visayas (It’s sad that at the change of the year, on the second day of the New Year, our compatriots in Western Visayas had to endure a power outage),” he lamented.
“Huwag na sana nila hayaan na magtagal pa kahit isang araw ang krisis na ito (I hope they don't let this crisis last even one more day),” the lawmaker said.