Virac, Catanduanes – During the committee meeting on energy presided over by PBM Arnel Turado, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) disclosed that seven (7) bank accounts of the Sunwest Water and Electric Company (SUWECO) have been frozen, based on documents submitted by FICELCO General Manager Engr. Edwin Gianan.
According to the report, the freeze order issued by the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLAC), involving a personality allegedly linked to a DPWH ghost project anomaly, has directly affected SUWECO’s ability to finance its operations. As a result, SUWECO’s diesel reserve guarantee is expected to last only until December 15, 2025. Failure to address the issue promptly may lead to widespread brownouts across the province.
Given this development, the SP Committee on Energy strongly recommended that the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) temporarily take over operations to ensure uninterrupted power supply. The committee stated that SUWECO may no longer be able to sustain its operations or comply with requirements for the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) bidding.
To avoid delays in selecting a new power provider, the committee also proposed a 15-day extension for the procurement period of the CSP bid documents. This extension is seen as critical to ensuring open competition and preventing disruptions in the bidding process.
To address the escalating situation, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will pass three key resolutions requesting urgent action from the national government:
- A resolution asking the President to allow NAPOCOR to assume SUWECO’s operations in Catanduanes and exempt its facilities from the freeze order’s coverage, in order to prevent a potential paralysis of the provincial power supply.
- A resolution requesting the President to allow NAPOCOR’s re-entry under a rental genset scheme, serving as an alternative solution to maintain adequate power generation while assets linked to the alleged anomaly remain frozen.
- A resolution urging the national government to implement immediate contingency and stabilization measures, including temporary operational takeover, deployment of rental gensets, extension of the CSP bid document procurement period, and other emergency actions necessary to avert an impending power crisis.
PBM Arnel Turado expressed concern that failure to resolve the issue promptly may result in severe impacts on the province’s economy, health services, security, and overall livelihood.
The SP Committee on Energy assured the public that they are undertaking all necessary measures to safeguard the interests of Catanduanes and prevent the province from plunging into a blackout during the holiday season.
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