NGCP exec slams Kidapawan's strict protocols; LGU says, 'No comment'

KIDAPAWAN CITY —An official of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in Southwestern Mindanao on Thursday expressed his frustrations over the strict implementation of quarantine protocols the City Government of Kidapawan has imposed against on their maintenance crew.

Michael Ortega Ligalig, regional communications and public affairs senior specialist at the NGCP Southwest Mindanao, said that despite the negative results of the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests of their crew, the city government still required them to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine before they could start the repair and maintenance activities of the power grid.

“Twice na sila nag-negative sa RT-PCR.  Sa Maynila pa lang, pinakuha na namin sila ng RT-PCR test, at negative naman.  Sa paglapag nila sa Davao City International Airport ay kinunan uli sila ng swab samples at negative uli.  Plus, nag-rapid test na rin sila sa opisina.   Parang di ko maintindihan kung bakit di pa rin kami papasukin ng Kidapawan City LGU sa kanilang lugar kung hindi kami mag-quarantine ng 14 days”, Ligalig said over a local radio interview.

He also stated that the Department of Energy (DoE) has already issued a memorandum order to LGUs to ‘relax’ their protocols when NGCP crew are set to perform inspection and  maintenance of their transmission lines all over the country.

“Parang sa buong Pilipinas, ang pinakamahigpit lang ‘ata ay ang Kidapawan,” said Ligalig.

He pointed out that the NGCP crew was supposed to check the Mount Apo 69KV transmission line in Barangay Ilomavis in Kidapawan City. 

Likewise, he said, the staff will also inspect the Mount Apo Geothermal Power Plants, also located in the same barangay.

Ligalig said they submitted few days earlier their letter request directly at the office of City Mayor Joseph Evangelista.  It was received by the mayor’s secretary.

The letter landed on the office of City Administrator Lu Mayormita, who, in turn wrote the reply addressed to the NGCP.

In the letter, Ligalig said that Mayormita clearly stated that their crew must first undergo 14-day quarantine in an isolation facility here before they can set foot on Mount Apo.

In a press statement the NGCP given to media on Thursday, it said the company is eager to finish its critical projects as close to the original timelines as possible.

“We are also fully cognizant of the need to restrict movement and activities to help stem the spread of the virus… Project schedules are continually re-assessed as varying degrees of community quarantine remain in effect,” the statement added.  

When asked for his comment, Kidapawan City Mayor Evangelista, in a text message, said, “No comment.   Let the NGCP put in writing their concerns addressed to me and we will answer their issues.”  —LBG, GMA News