KIDAPAWAN CITY(PNA / PIA) - Conveners of the Nagkakaisang Pinoy Kontra sa Brownout (Napikon sa Brownout) canceled the protest move against power crisis they set last Friday at the Mindanao geother¬mal production field at Mount Apo.
The rally cancellation came after they received a call from Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo urging them to cancel the rally dubbed "Day of Mourning and Protest" as the latter would meet with the conveners of the group to discuss the issue.
The leader of the protesters is City Administrator Rodolfo Cabiles, Jr., who is also the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco) that supplies power to at least 98,000 power consumers in North Cota¬bato.
"Secretary Robredo told me that President Aquino does not want a rally, instead, he would talk to the conveners," Kidapawan Mayor Ro¬dolfo Gantuangco said.
The mayor earlier issued a per¬mit to Cabiles' group for the rally before the Energy Development Corporation (EDC), owner of the two geothermal power plants located at Barangay Ilomavis, here.
"I fully support the move. I be¬lieve this is the time we tell the Na¬tional Power Corporation and those in the power industry that we're not happy with what's happening in our place. It's hurting everyone. But I saw the wisdom of Secretary Robredo," he said.
Gantuangco said the city govern¬ment is still pushing for 25 percent of the total power generated by the geothermal plants be supplied di¬rectly to Cotelco.
If it happens, he said the city, as host of the geothermal plants, is as¬sured of 26 megawatts of supply of power daily from the facility.
Meanwhile, negotiations are un¬derway for the Misamis Occidental Electric Cooperative (MOELCI) 1 based in Barangay Magcamiguing, this town, to purchase energy load from another source, aside from the National Power Corporation.
