The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is appealing to the government to allow its suppliers, as well as shipments of essential transmission equipment, to enter the country amid the travel ban stemming from reported cases of the new COVID-19 strains.

This comes as the grid firm has raised concerns about further delays in the completion of its critical projects, which include the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP). Given the travel ban, the ships to be used particularly for the MVIP’s submarine cable laying activities wouldn’t be able to enter the country.

Should the government grant NGCP consideration, the company said it will observe all safety protocols and strict compliance to health standards.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday approved the measure barring travellers coming from 19 countries and one territory, except returning Overseas Filipino Workers, from entering the Philippines from December 30, 2020 to January 15, 2021:

• United Kingdom
• South Africa
• Australia
• Canada
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Hong Kong, China
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Lebanon
• Netherlands
• Singapore
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

“NGCP understands the need to control the virus and prevent the new strain from affecting our people, but there must also be creative ways in place to balance health concerns with the need to keep the economy afloat. NGCP’s critical projects cannot face any further delays as this may have an implication on the stability and reliability of power transmission services, especially with the growing demand for power. We hope this will also be taken into consideration,” the company said in a statement.