Aquino made the statements following the call of several businessmen, including the Zamboanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (ZCCIFI), that he invoke his special powers to solve the energy crisis in Mindanao. “By invoking Section 71 [of EPIRA,] red tape can be cut and the lengthy procedure in starting a new power project, which normally takes around two years to process, can be shortened,” ZCCIFI president Pedro Rufo Soliven said in an earlier interview. Republic Act 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), has provisions for the President to declare a state of emergency following a shortage of electricity supply. However, a joint resolution from Congress is needed before the President’s emergency powers kick in. But Aquino maintained that he sees no need for him to invoke those powers, saying that the administration has proper contingency plans for the elections in Mindanao to go smoothly. “Pero ‘yung kung sa eleksyon ang pinag-uusapan, gumawa na ng paraan para siguraduhin na walang failure dahil mawawalan ng kuryente,” Aquino clarified.
Aquino rules out state of emergency in Mindanao due to power crisis — for now
