Power double talk

Timeline:



Sept. 27, 2005 – Power supply agreement signed with Marelco, NPC and 3i Powergen under the administration of Gov. Carmencita Reyes.

Feb. 2007 – Commercial operation was to commence (still under the administration of Gov. Reyes). This did not happen.

June 2007 – Extension of contract requested by 3i from Marelco expired.

Sept. 11, 2009 – Resolution purportedly rescinding the power supply agreement was issued by Marelco.

Oct. 12, 2009 – Rally spearheaded by the Bishop of Boac for “Truth and Transparency”.

October 25, 2009, “Final solution” with arrival of gensets from Palawan but with lease agreement between NPC and Agrekko expiring on January 7, 2010.

Jan.- Feb. 2011 - Power outages due to diesel fuel shortage directly related to the NPC's technical bancruptcy. 39 electric cooperatives in NPC-SPUG areas in the country experienced recurrent brown-outs.

June 20, 2011 – Receipt of bids from new bidders.

July 8, 2011 – Opening of bids. No official public announcement appears to have been made on bidding result.

July 20, 2011 - Power outages due to diesel fuel shortage and defective unit/s at Power Barge 12o in Balanacan.



She says, others say:



Quotes from Gov. Carmencita Reyes from her official Fb page:



"…I have already given specific instructions on what course of action we are going to take. The MARELCO problem has blown out of proportion. The provincial government has received reliable information that the perennial cause of the electricity supply problem in Marinduque is due to the gross incompetence and negligence of the management of MARELCO. Sources told that MARELCO owes around P69M for VAT payments alone. This amount is relatively small compared to how much MARELCO owes NAPOCOR. From all indications, MARELCO has been grossly mismanaged.



“I am personally not enthusiastic about tapping independent power producers/investors as a means to solve this problem. It might do us some good at the onset because normal electricity flow can be restored in a shorter period of time. However, the risk that is not clearly visible in this scenario is that after some time, there is a strong possibility that this independent power producer/investor can and may exploit us by exorbitant and unreasonable electricity bills and unnecessary fees… (Aug. 2, 2011)



“Ang MARELCO ay isang "kooperatiba" na napapasailalim ng patnubay ng National Electrification Administration (NEA). Walang autoridad ang Provincial Government sa pamamalakad ng MARELCO…”



“3i Power Gen did not go bankrupt…”



From a Sangguniang Panlalawigan media release after meeting with Marelco and NPC July 25, 2011:



"...Bagaman at alam ng buong kapulungan na ang Sangguniang Panlalawigan maging ang Gobernador o sinumang opisyal ng pamahalaang lokal ay walang papel na batayan upang makontrol o pakialaman ang anumang desisyon at pamamalakad ng MARELCO, kooperatiba, ang tunay na nagmamay-ari ay ang taong bayan na konsumidor ng kuryente.



"Gayundin ang mga local na opisyal ng pamahalaan ay walang pananagutan sa estratehiya o programa ng NEA, Department of Energy at ng NAPOCOR na may layuning missionary electrification na unti-unti na ring pinuputol ng pamahalaang nasyunal, hindi maiwasan ng SP bilang boses ng taong bayan na kundenahin ang mga namumumuno dito. Gayon pa man lahat ng paraan ay ginagawa ng SP upang makatulong at maibsan ang suliranin sa kuryente..."



Rewind to 2009:





Board member Jose Alvarez, an ally of Gov. Bong Carrion also referred to ‘mga pulitiko’, but politicians, he said, who were those "behind 3i Powergen and Marelco" (watch this video taken after the rally of Oct. 12, 2009:



Excerpts from the video:



“...Hindi po ba natin alam na kaya po naging ganyan, sinabi na rin po ni Bishop, na nasa likod ang mga pulitiko sa likod ng 3i Powergen… sino po ang nasa likod niyan, sino po ang nasa likod ng Marelco? Yan po ang dapat nating alamin, tingnan po natin kng paano natin mabubuwag ang mga pulitikong nasa likod ng 3i Powergen, nasa likod ng Marelco at nasa likod ng maraming kasinungalingang nagaganap dito sa ating lalawigan...



“Tingnan po natin kung sino talaga ang totoong nang-aapi dito sa atin sa napakatagal na panahong walang pag-angat dito sa ating lalawigan…”



Rewind further back to 2006.



In 2006, Manila-based newspapers like Malaya, Aug. 6, 2006, Manila Bulletin, Aug. 6, 2006 and Manila Standard Today, Aug. 7, 2006, ran similar articles stating:



“...The Board of Investments granted incentives to the three hybrid wind-diesel plants of 3i Powergen Inc. (in Marinduque and Romblon), with combined investments of P1.448 billion. ...



“...All three plants will start commercial operations by February 2007.”



Came February 2007, (with both mother and son team of Reyes sitting as congressman and governor), such commercial operations did not commence anywhere in the islands mentioned.



Came July 2007, there was still no 3i-produced power in Marinduque. By this time a new administration under Gov. Carrion won the election in May 2007, ran the capitol, while the older Reyes sat as Marinduque congress representative.



On 3i’s failure to deliver, 3i vice-president Lagundi reasoned thus: “Ang nangyari.... ay ang pagkakaantala ng pagpapalabas ng loan mula sa mga imbestor dahil sa nararanasang global financial crisis…" (Aug.11, 2008, SP)



One year later, 2009:



“Marelco general manager, Eduardo Bueno said: “Hindi naging makatotohanan ang 3I Powergen, hindi sila nakapag deliver. Iyang 12.48 na iyan kung saan itatayo ang power plant sa Balogo Sta. Cruz. Kung sino man po ang taga Sta. Cruz kung mapapasyal kayo doon makikita natin ay puro hukay. Hinukay nila noong October 2006. Hanggang ngayon po hindi ko alam ang kanilang natapos doon sa proyekto na iyon.” (Jul 6, 2009, SP)



Board member Eleuterio Raza, Jr. said, on the other hand: “...noong pinatawag po natin ang (vice) president ng 3I Powergen si Atty. Domingo Lagundi... he admitted in the session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that they are financially incapable to construct the facilities in compliance with the requirements of the obligation. In my view that would send a signal for Marelco’s board to finally decide to rescind or not to rescind the contract...” (July 6, 2009)



Board member Jose Alvarez: “...sinasabi na ni Atty. Lagundi na wala po talaga silang kakayahan at halos magmakaawa at umiyak dito. Actually ang nangyari po parang nag-speculate lang sila na may papasok. Iyon naman po ay practice na tinatanggap natin dahil meron naman silang kaugnayan sa ibat-iba pang mga negosyante subalit hindi katanggap-tanggap iyong katagalan ng proseso.” (July 6, 2009)





SP board member Querubin talked of conspiracy and economic sabotage: “...maaring may sabwatan sa pagitan ng Marelco at 3i Powergen dahil sa kabila ng katotohanan na walang kapasidad ang huli na magsuplay ng kuryente patuloy pa rin ang kontrata... kaya maituturing na economic sabotage ang ginagawa ng Marelco at 3i Powergen dahil apektado ang ekonomiya ng lalawigan”. (Sept. 30,2009)

















Amoingon sunset and a silhouette dream.