Senate to probe Panay power outages, push for DOE and NGCP action

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri expressed the Senate's readiness to investigate the ongoing power crisis that hit parts of the Philippines, particularly Panay Island, on Tuesday.

Zubiri stressed that the Senate will not remain idle while Filipinos suffer due to the negligence in addressing this issue, urging the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to urgently address these power interruptions before they cause irreparable damage.

Several senators have floated a possible Senate investigation into what they call the 'unacceptable' power outage that hit Panay Island, with Senator Raffy Tulfo planning to file a resolution to exact accountability and propose policy recommendations for future prevention of such disruptions.

Senator Ronald 'Bato' dela Rosa will also file a separate resolution to investigate reports suggesting NGCP's involvement in the recent power outages.

Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva emphasized the need for both short-term and long-term plans, including proper maintenance of facilities and exploration of renewable energy sources like wind and solar to meet DOE’s goal of 35% renewable power generation by 2030.