BACOLOD City – The Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) has called on all stakeholders in the power sector—particularly electricity consumers—to “stop the blame game and work together” in addressing the power outages that hit Negros following the onslaught of Typhoon “Tino.”
“It’s time to put aside the blame and come together. The devastation has already been done, and pointing fingers won’t bring back the power. Let’s focus on rebuilding and supporting each other—the local government, the Negros Electric and Power Corporation (Negros Power), and the consumers,” said Wennie Sancho, president of ACCESS.
He added, “We can evaluate what went wrong later, but for now, let’s work together to restore what has been lost. We’re all in this together. By cooperating, we can help prevent future power outages and ensure a safer environment for our communities.”
Sancho proposed the conduct of an “Emergency Power Restoration Summit” to be initiated by the Liga ng mga Barangay, with the city government, Negros Power, and consumers as key participants.
He cited Republic Act No. 11361, or the “Anti-Obstruction of Power Lines Act,” which mandates local government units (LGUs) to prevent and remove obstructions—such as tree branches—that may interfere with power lines.
The law also requires LGUs to ensure that trees and other vegetation near power lines are trimmed or cut to maintain a safe distance, authorize distribution utilities (DUs) to perform necessary clearing operations, and coordinate with them to identify and address potential hazards.
“It is unfortunate that most of our barangay councils have not fully implemented the provisions of RA 11361,” Sancho lamented.
He also expressed agreement with former Negros Occidental Governor Rafael Coscolluela, emphasizing that the issue of trees versus power lines and posts must be carefully reviewed by LGUs and barangays to establish clear policies and preventive measures.
“Distribution utilities and LGUs should have effective protocols and clearly defined responsibilities to prevent power disruptions caused by fallen trees and broken branches,” Sancho stressed./PN
