GENERATORS. A Cebu City store is sold out of generator sets.
CEBU, Philippines – A proposed Mandaue City ordinance seeks to require owners of water refilling and gas stations to buy generator sets in preparation for disasters like Typhoon Odette which had knocked out power supply in the city for an extended period of time.
Mandaue City Councilor Joel Seno authored the ordinance which was passed on first reading on Wednesday, February 2.
“Many gas stations ceased to operate because they did not have power due to Typhoon Odette. It could have been avoided if they had generator sets,” Seno told Rappler on Thursday, February 3. Some water station owners and staff have raised concern that there is no provision in the proposed rule to subsidize the cost of obtaining the generators. Marc Domas, who works at a water refilling station, told Rappler that purchasing a backup generator would still be a heavy financial burden as low-voltage generator sets would not be enough to power up their operation.
“It would be nice if we had one, especially when there’s a brownout. However, we would have to purchase one at a higher voltage that costs around P22,000 to support a majority of our operations,” Domas said in a mix of English and Cebuano.
Domas said that when the power went out during Odette the owner of their water refilling station opted to waited for power to be restored as opposed to buying a generator set, because generators are too expensive.
Seno said they want to avoid long lines at gas and water stations, which added to the tension in an area already ravaged by a typhoon.
“We wish to avoid the long queues at the pump stations for petroleum products and the water-refilling stations because that is the source of the tension at the time,” Seno said.
He said he is not considering providing subsidies for the business establishments. “No, the city won’t [subsidize]. It is already the lookout of the business owners – that should be part of their corporate social responsibility,” Seno said.
“You should not think only about profits. You should think about your moral obligation to the community also,” he added.
On average, a 10 kVA diesel-fueled generator can sell at P7,500. This generator can power at least three laptops, two television sets, six lights, one microwave, for at least two hours.
Once the ordinance takes effect, businesses would still have six months to comply, Seno said.
The Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) told Rappler they support the measure. “This ordinance came from the realization of our city’s LGU leaders that the availability of generator sets in gasoline stations and water refilling stations could have averted the long lines that we experienced in the immediate aftermath of Typhoon Odette when power was not yet restored,” MCCI President Steven Yu said. “This ordinance will ensure that similar situation will be avoided in future calamities. It is also apt in today’s environment when we will still experience some minor and short rotational blackouts,” he added.
The proposed ordinance is due for debate and second reading on Monday, February 7. The city council will take up possible amendments including allowing solar generators to be among the options for business owners. – Rappler.com
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