MANILA – Several lawmakers have expressed concern about a China-controlled company’s 40-percent stake in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) – the country’s lone power transmission line, saying this could compromise national security.
State Grid Corp. of China, which owns a 40-percent stake in the NGCP, could compromise national security, Sen. Ralph Recto said, adding that they can turn off the Philippines’ power transmission grid “remotely.”
“Part of the plan of China Telecom is to use the wires of NGCP for their mid-mile telecommunication,” Recto said, referring to the Chinese firm that is part of the consortium to operate the country’s third telco.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, said that State Grid’s concession agreement limits the firm from assigning Chinese officials to man the equipment.
“Regardless of the country, we have to make sure that safeguards are being implemented with regards to the transmission line, kasi isa lang ang transmission line natin so natural monopoly ‘yan,” Gatchalian said.
“The Chinese can give technical assistance… [but] only Filipinos can manage the transmission lines,” he added. “While the law provides safety nets, it will not hurt to err on the side of caution.”
“We should always be vigilant when it comes to the transmission line,” he said. “It’s delivering power from Luzon all the way down to Mindanao. If someone will jeopardize our economy, they will just have to switch it off.”
The NGCP earlier allayed fears that its technical partner would try to shut down the Philippines’ power lines./PN
