BUSAN, South Korea (Eagle News Service) — President Aquino challenged Senator Sergio Osmena III to take the blame and be the first to explain to the public in case the country experiences power outages next year.
The President made the call after the lawmaker opposed the granting of emergency powers to him that would have allowed the government to contract additional generating capacity mechanisms.
“Senator Serge, with all due respect, is saying all these things and he has convinced some of his colleagues and until now we don’t have emergency powers. Maybe he looks at it half-full. We look at it half-empty,” Aquino said.
“If we suffer from power shortage, I hope he volunteers to answer to the public why we do not have enough energy supply. The government was not lacking in efforts to avert this problem. Maybe they will give it to us on March 1, and then the public will blame us. For our part, perhaps he (Osmeña) can volunteer to explain. Mauna siya,” the President added.
The President said even if Congress agrees to grant the proposed joint resolution on Monday, the government might not be able to use it anymore because the problem might start by March.
Aquino said it would “take the government six months to physically transfer and put up the plants that the state will rent for two years”.
“They are saying that if the problem does not arrive, then we would have wasted money in renting the power plants. But what will we do when the problem arrives? If it doesn’t happen – then thank you. What we would have spent will be like an insurance for us…Our policy has always been prepare for the worst but hope for the best,” he said.
“I am hoping that they are right, that they have the perfect solution from the get-go and we don’t need it. Having said that, I am worried that if we do get there, will we have the wherewithal to address the problems,” the President added.
The President warned that the expected power shortage could turn off investors. (Weng dela Fuente, Eagle News Service)