Consumer group calls for inquiry on widespread blackouts

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A consumer group here is asking both the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlawigan and the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod to conduct an inquiry on the recent widespread power interruptions here.

Wennie Sancho, Power Watch Negros secretary general, said the power outages, or frequency disturbance, “caused serious disturbance to the consumers who are essentially being robbed of their right to a quality life, let alone the negative impact such incidents have to the economy, and the resulting damage to properties.”

In his letter to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sancho said that “amidst these unscheduled power outages and intermittent blackouts, there has been a deluge of complaints and consumers are demanding explanations from the authorities.”

He added that in order to prevent more inconvenience brought about by power interruptions and voltage fluctuations and to avert the danger of massive power outages in the days to come, “we are requesting for a public hearing or an inquiry to find out what really triggered the power outages and who should be made accountable.”

Sancho sent a similar request of inquiry to the Bacolod City Council.

He pointed out that “these unscheduled power outages and intermittent blackouts, there has been a deluge of complaints and consumers, particularly in Bacolod City, that are demanding explanations from authorities, which prompted Power Watch Negros to call for a public hearing.”

This power disturbance prompted legislators in Western Visayas to call for a congressional inquiry to find out what really triggered the power outage, and who should be made accountable, he further said.

“While we do not want to blame Ceneco in the midst of this grid or power disturbance pending investigation, it would be best to request for a public hearing on the issue of power disturbance,” Sancho further said.

The franchise area of Ceneco covers Bacolod, Bago, Silay, Talisay, Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, with 210,861 registered members and about 129,891, or 61 percent, from Bacolod City.

Ceneco services approximately 1,068,948 people or about a third of the population of Negros Occidental.