APEC Party-list Representative Sergio C. Dagooc has opposed any move to privatize the Agus-Pulangi Hydroelectric Complexes in Mindanao, warning that transferring the facilities to private operators could increase electricity prices and weaken the region’s energy security.

In a privilege speech before the House of Representatives, Dagooc said the hydropower plants are strategic national assets that help stabilize electricity prices in Mindanao and should remain under government control.

The Agus-Pulangi hydropower system has a combined capacity of around 1,000 megawatts and supplies a significant share of Mindanao’s electricity.

“These hydropowered electric plants are economic stabilizers of the entire region of Mindanao,” Dagooc said.

He said hydropower plays a crucial role in shielding the region from global fuel price volatility because the plants generate electricity using water instead of imported fossil fuels.

“Unlike thermal power plants that rely on imported coal or oil, hydropower from Agus and Pulangi does not depend on international commodity markets,” Dagooc said.

Because of this, the lawmaker said the facilities help keep electricity prices relatively more stable in Mindanao compared with areas that rely heavily on fossil fuel-based generation.

Dagooc also raised concerns over reports that the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM) may explore the privatization of the hydro complexes.

He warned that private investors, driven by the need to recover capital and generate profit, could pass additional costs on to consumers.

“Industry stakeholders have repeatedly warned that a private sector takeover of these power plants would likely increase prices in Mindanao,” he said.

Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), the Agus and Pulangi plants were granted a 10-year reprieve from privatization due to their strategic importance to Mindanao’s power system.

The law also states that any privatization of the facilities should be undertaken by PSALM in consultation with Congress.

“The privatization of Agus and Pulangi complexes shall be left to the discretion of PSALM in consultation with Congress,” Dagooc said.

The lawmaker emphasized that maintaining public control of the facilities is particularly important at a time when global energy markets remain volatile.

“We are witnessing a world where energy has become a geopolitical weapon,” he said, citing risks affecting global oil supply routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Dagooc urged lawmakers to adopt stronger safeguards to ensure the hydropower facilities remain under government ownership.

“Let us permanently exempt the Agus and Pulangi from privatization. Let us declare them strategic and non-transferable national energy assets,” he said.

He concluded his appeal by emphasizing that the hydropower system should remain a national resource managed for the benefit of the public.

“Ang Agus-Pulangi ay yaman ng bayan at ang yaman ng bayan ay dapat manatili sa kamay ng bayan.”

Should key power assets that help stabilize electricity prices remain under government control to protect consumers and strengthen energy security?

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