DOE to focus on national electrification, speedy processing

DOE to focus on national electrification, speedy processing

Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has promised to continue the national electrification process made by the previous administration, citing it as one of his priorities as the new chairman.

Cusi ordered the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and National Power Corp. (Napocor) to come up with solutions to power every household in the Philippines.

90 percent of Luzon has household electricity connection, while Visayas has 92 percent and Mindanao has only 72 percent.

“In the bigger picture, the first thing we’re going to do is 100 percent electrification of household connection nationwide,” Cusi said. “We’d like to make it 100 percent that’s why we’re tasking NEA and Napocor to address the problem.”

“Priority is to deliver the necessary service to the less fortunate. I’d like to immediately look at the informal settlers, who don’t have electric connections and are coursing their connection through certain individuals who have to pay more. I’d like to address that immediately,” he said.

The secretary also said the DOE will focus on more efficient public dealings, as President Rodrigo Duterte previously said he wants to eliminate long queues and permitting processes.

“That will be immediately done,” he said.