This article critiques the notion of substantial Filipino ownership in the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) despite a 40% stake held by the Chinese State Grid Corp. It argues that the Filipino owners, primarily involved in diverse sectors, lack the technical expertise to effectively manage the grid, rendering their control illusory. The author compares the situation to US regulations restricting foreign ownership in its electric grid, highlighting the lack of similar safeguards in the Philippines.
First of two partsTHE sole American columnist in this paper, Ben Kritz, wrote a column the other day responding to my piece that criticized the huge 40 percent ownership by the State Grid Corp. of China in the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines , the country's interconnected network of electricity lines across the entire archipelago, the backbone of our power infrastructure.State Grid's dominant role is obvious in that the two Filipino owners — Henry Sy Jr.
I find it astounding — or maybe a testament again to the elite's rule over the country – that NGCP was sold to the mega-rich SM group, to an insurance company, and to China's biggest energy firm State Grid, with little discussion about it here, when State Grid has been a burning issue all over the world because of its aggressiveness in investing in power industry everywhere.
Energy Politics NATIONAL SECURITY FOREIGN OWNERSHIP ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE ELECTRIC GRID PHILIPPINE ECONOMY
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