The NGCP: People and profile versus performance

The latest power outage debacle that hit the islands of Panay and Guimaras from January 2 to 5, in addition to the April 2023 power failure that beset Western Visayas, on top of all the failures in all other nooks and crannies of this archipelago, has brought into national focus again the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, on whose performance President BBM himself has expressed dismay in his last SONA.

The NGCP is a private corporation granted by the government the full trust and confidence to manage power transmission from power plants to power distributors all over the country. Electric power, like water, like oil and gas, is a basic necessity of all people, all organizations, all government units, institutions, communities, and establishments. The supply of power or the withholding or disruption thereof can either make or unmake, build or break a nation and its people. Therefore, it is essential that the men and women who run this company should not only be professionals, competent and reliable, but must also be honest, transparent, and imbued with a sense of mission and service-orientation.

The ownership structure of this company reveals that 60% is controlled by investors led by a corporation called Synergy Grid & Development Philippines Inc. led by Henry Sy Jr., whom we know belongs to the country's richest family, as well as insurance industry tycoon Robert Coyiuto and his company and Robert Coyiuto Jr. Forty percent of the ownership structure is in the hands of State Grid Corporation of China (SGCC). The Philippine government has entrusted to China the co-ownership of a very strategic, sensitive, delicate and, even I dare to say, highly-indispensable company to Philippine national interest. The NGCP's website, which is open to the public, indicates that many of the company's board members are not Filipino citizens but Chinese nationals. I have nothing against that in a globalized economy. My only question is: Why China, of all nations? Why not USA or Japan or any of our co members in ASEAN?

Among the members of the board of directors, currently published online, are Mr. Zhu Guangchao, the vice chief engineer and director general of the International Cooperation Department of the SGCC. Wow. Then, Mr. Yao Yousheng, currently the chief representative of the SGCC to the Philippines. Wow again. Mr. Wang Lijin, supposedly an expert engineer in the area of power grid operation management and quality and safety engineering, whose impeccable credentials we can question. Mr. Liu Xinhua with two master’s degrees in Engineering and an executive master’s degree in Business Administration. From the Philippines, the board has Mr. Henry Sy Jr., Mr. Robert Coyiuto Jr., Mr. Jose Pardo, Dr. Francis Chua, Mr. Anthony Almeda, and Mr. Paul Sagayo Jr. These are all honorable men and no one can question their credentials and integrity.

In its website, the company describes its mandate as a transmission service provider with full awareness of its nature as a public utility and with full compliance with the rules and regulations of the regulator (that includes the Energy Regulatory Board, the Department of Energy, the National Electric Administration, and others). NGCP proudly banners its vision to build the strongest power grid and maintain the best power utility practice in Southeast Asia supposedly through the collective effort of its world-class and professional workforce. Its avowed mission is allegedly to contribute to the nation's social and economic development and satisfy its stakeholders by efficiently developing and adequately operating the power grid in order to provide reliable transmission service.

The NGCP claims that its three values are integrity, competence, and passion for excellence. As to integrity, it claims that the company is always mindful of the impact and consequences of its actions and decisions. As to competence, NGCP claims that it responds with quality service to its internal and external customers. As to passion for excellence, the company claims that it is energetic, proactive, and resultsoriented.

However, with due respect, while its desires, intents, and aspirations are as high as the sky (Kapantay ay Langit), what has been revealed by Mayor Trenas of Iloilo City and Senators Tulfo, Gatchalian, and Hontiveros in the January 10 hearing in the Senate revealed that its performance was down the drain. (Bato sa Buhangin). There is too huge a gap between what its people represent and what its profile claims vis-a-vis its actual performance.

I can be wrong, of course, but I can also be right.