Silay airport's X-rays malfunction due to power disruptions

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines - Authorities at the new airport in Silay City are now on alert and are doing a 100 percent manual inspection of passengers' baggage after four high-tech x-ray machines malfunctioned over the weekend due to frequent brownouts in the area. Each machine costs P5 million. Antonio 'Toto' Alfonso, manager of New Bacolod-Silay Airport, said: "We have no choice but to be on alert now since we don't know yet when to repair or replace these four x-ray machines," he said, adding that for now, he ordered airport security men to ensure a 100 percent manual inspection of passengers' baggage. He said these five year-old x-ray machines were damaged by erratic power voltage caused by frequent brownouts in Silay City that occur seven to eight times a day. "But we cannot compromise the security at the airport right now because if anything worse will happen, it's not an excuse for us," stressed Alfonso. He, however, said he already reported this matter to the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) for proper action and that the DOTC already had talks with the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) on quick measures to be done. Alfonso stressed they're not only 'blaming' Ceneco but also the National Power Corporation (Napocor), the sole supplier of power to Ceneco. Ceneco president Roberto Montelibano, however, told Sun.Star Bacolod over the phone that the problem on constant power fluctuations in Silay is beyond Ceneco's capability. "Rather, the problem there is all about the rerouting of power transmission from the National Transmission Commission (TransCo) due to the existing land dispute between TransCo and the owner of a private property where TransCo lines pass," explained Montelibano. He said as long as this land dispute prevails, the same situation in Silay will happen in terms of power transmission. He also appealed to the airport management to utilize the airport generator in case of critical situation to, at least minimize, the ill-effect of brownouts. Asked for assurance on a stable power for Silay, Montelibano said: "It might be in October this year as soon as the biomass plant of First Farmers Central in Talisay City operates." But with the constant brownouts and no immediate solution on hand, Negros Occidental Gov. Isidro Zayco had no recourse but to seek the help of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to send one power barge to bring relief to residents and businesses, who have been severely affected by the acute power shortage in the province. In his letter to the President, Zayco stressed the inconvenience and losses incurred by businesses due to intermittent brownouts in the province, which needs "immediate intervention by sending a power barge to Negros Occidental to address the power shortage within the shortest possible time." The Department of Energy has earlier monitored that for the month of April alone, Negros and Panay, which are both at the receiving end of the Visayas power grid, have experienced 23 days of brownout due to power shortage and the current rehabilitation of the Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant. These brownouts have led to "tremendous losses" among businesses and have disrupted operations of government agencies such as the new Bacolod-Silay Airport and the National Bureau of Investigation. Zayco said the power barges might be the only solution for now, but added that the province is exhausting all efforts to look at other long-term solutions in view of foreseen serious power shortage in 2010. One other option, but which is being strongly opposed by the Diocese of Bacolod, is the geothermal expansion development program of the Philippine National Corporation-Energy Development Corp. (PNOC-EDC) at the Mount Kanlaon National Park. Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra has been vocal about his opposition to further exploration in the remaining forest reserve in the province, saying "this will affect the biodiversity." This, despite constant assurance from PNOC-EDC that only a minimal 0.1 percent of the entire protected area would be affected. - Sun.Star Bacolod