The Philippine government would take back control, if needed, of the company that runs the nation’s power transmission network partly owned by State Grid Corp of China (國家電網), Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s office said.
Marcos met with Philippine Senator Raffy Tulfo who heads a committee investigating the situation at National Grid Corp of the Philippines (NGCP) following recent incidents of power outages in the Southeast Asian country.
Marcos backed Tulfo’s proposal to “conduct a comprehensive study or hold hearings,” Marcos’ communications office said in a statement posted on its Facebook page on Wednesday.
Photo: Reuters
Tulfo “aimed to examine the security aspect, particularly on who truly controls the corporation,” the statement said.
“If necessary, the government will take back control of the entity,” it said.
China’s State Grid has a 40 percent stake in NGCP after winning, with other investors, a 25-year concession to run the Southeast Asian country’s power transmission network in 2007.
The remaining 60 percent is held by Philippine investors including Synergy Grid & Development Phils Inc president Henry Sy Jr and Prudential Guarantee & Assurance Inc chairman Robert Coyiuto Jr.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Wang Wenbin (汪文斌) did not directly respond to a question on the Philippines’ plans when asked during a regular briefing in Beijing.
“China supports Chinese companies in expanding cooperation with the Philippine side and achieving mutually beneficial results,” Wang said, adding that Manila is a “friendly partner” of Beijing.
Previous efforts by officials for the government to reclaim control of power grid operations did not prosper and the Philippine Department of Energy has proposed to amend a 2001 law to ban foreign-owned or foreign government-backed enterprises from engaging in power transmission.
At a hearing of the energy committee on Wednesday, Philippine Senator Risa Hontiveros said they might need to scrutinize “not just China’s control of NGCP, but the performance of the company itself,” adding that “this time we might need to see if we have to revoke its franchise.”
NGCP is “ready to answer any and all questions raised concerning how we do business,” company spokesperson Cynthia Alabanza said, adding that the firm had invested 300 billion pesos (US$5.38 billion) to strengthen the transmission system.
Separately, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (黃英賢) said her country would provide surveillance drones and other high-tech gear to the Philippine Coast Guard and is considering whether to take part in joint patrols in the disputed South China Sea.
Wong, who held talks in Manila with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo, also thanked the Philippine government for its help in the discovery of a ship that sank during World War II in the northern Philippines, killing nearly 1,000 Australians “in a very sad chapter in our history.”
The US and the Philippines, which are longtime treaty allies, have been holding talks on proposed joint naval patrols in the South China Sea, where China has fortified its vast territorial claims by transforming disputed reefs into missile-protected island bases and deploying Chinese Coast Guard and militia ships on constant patrols.
Aside from China and the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei are also embroiled in the territorial disputes.
Additional reporting by AP
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old