Latest News on Brown Outs in Marinduque

Candle Power-photo by Daisy Catague Cababasay

Here's the latest news on brown outs in Marinduque, by Eli Obligacion( from Marinduque Rising-marinduquegov.blogspot.com) posted July 20,2011. Along with this article (Notes below) are two comments from a Marinduque resident expressing his frustration on this irritating event in the life of all Marinduquenos. Fellow Marinduquenos, It is time again to tune up all our generators or purchase one, if you have not done it already.

"Marelco informs that based on “Fuel Run Out Dates of NPC-SPUG” furnished by the Department of Energy (DOE) to the electric cooperative there will be an impending power interruption in Marinduque. Marelco, however, states that Marinduque NPC-SPUG based in Bantad has informed them that power interruption could take place beginning today (as it already has), “because of a defective unit at Power Barge 120” at Balanacan harbor.

It will be recalled that in May this year, Marelco announced that it published in March 2011, an invitation for bidders to participate in the bidding for the supply of a brand new Modular Type Diesel Hybrid Power Plant in Marinduque. Bidders were to have a capacity to initially deliver more or less 3,000,000 kwh per month to the Marelco system. During the annual membership meeting in May, it was then announced that at least three bidders have applied for eligibility and participated in the bidding.

According to Marelco’s schedule of activities, opening of bids and comparison with Best New Entrant Rate (BNER), was scheduled to take place last July 8. Negotiation and Award of a Power Supply Agreement (PSA), is to take place on August 9, 2011, with award of contract and issuance of Notice to Proceed (NTP), taking place on September 5, 2011. This new agreement is also to specify that commercial operation by the new power provider is to commence after 270 days from the award of contract - that is, by June 2012. No update on this matter has been released by Marelco, so far.

From the looks of it, therefore, the island-province of Marinduque is in for another year of power uncertainties during this transition period unless effective intervention is undertaken by the energy authorities now, repeat now..."

Note: This is a comment of a Boac resident who went to Manila to get away from brown out prone Boac showing his frustration. "It's good to be back in the city with electricity and water supply". May nagtanong sa akin-kailan ka po balik MDUKE? Sagot ko - kapag nasa saykopatik na ang mga taga MARELCO at NAPOCOR (Someone ask me when will I go back to Marinduque? My answer-as soon as the employees Of MARELCO and NAPOCOR are in the psychopatic wards.

MARELCO and NAPOCOR are the two entities involve with electrical power supplies to the island. To my readers who are pure tagalogs, please excuse my english translation of the tagalog commnents in bold.

Here's a second comment from the same resident above addressing it to the Governor of Marinduque, Carmencita Reyes. Below is my attempt to translate it in English for my non-tagalog speaking readers.

Dear Lola Carmencita; kayo din lang po ay mahilig magpakita ng Pugutan sa Mduke sana po pinugutan ninyo ng dalawang ulo si Manager Bueno ng Marelco kasama na ang mga Board of Directors - dahilan ng paghihirap ng mga mamayan ng Mduke sa bulok nilang pamamahala sa Kooperatiba. Sana rin po sa tuwid na daan na kayo dumaan at huwag na sa dating daan kung saan puro bayad pulitika at sariling interest lang ang iniisip.

Dear Grandma Carmencita: Since you are very enthusiastic in showing the Beheading of "Longinus" in Marinduque(Pageant during Holy Week),I wish you would have also beheaded two-headed Manager Bueno of Marelco along with the Board of Directors. The people of Marinduque are suffering from their mismanagement of the Cooperative. I wish you would follow the right and correct way, not the old way which is based on pure politics and self-interest.