FM Jr. sees solar power solving Mindoro crisis

WHILE extreme heat contributed to the agricultural crisis in Mindoro, solar energy can also serve as a solution to the island’s perennial energy woes, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.

In an interview with reporters in Occidental Mindoro last Tuesday, the chief executive said the construction of solar power plants in Mindoro can be a “quick solution” to raise the power supply in the island.

“Because when it comes to solar [power], as long as you have a solar cell, you can use it right away,” Marcos said.

However, he noted a long-term solution in providing for the energy needs in the island is by connecting it to the national power grid through submarine cable so it can tap electricity supply in areas, which have excess capacity.

During the situation briefing presided by the President, Occidental Mindoro Diana C. Tayag said that the “power crisis” is exacerbating the effects of El Niño, which coincides with the summer season, to agriculture in their province.

She noted the power rate in Mindoro remains high since they only have one power supplier, Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corp. (OMCPC) and under a power supply procurement, which prevent their province from availing subsidies from the national government.

“The price of our electricity is so expensive—20-kilowatt per hour—while for Meralco [Manila Electric Co.] it is only 12-kilowatt per hour,” Tayag said.

“Right now, we don’t have cold storage because electricity is so expensive. Our mills, rice mills, and other post-harvest facilities are also not running; others have closed. Our fisherfolk are also affected because we also need a proper supply of electricity for the ice [they use],” she added.

The Occidental Mindoro provincial government hopes the issue will be addressed with the entry of more power providers in its jurisdiction.