NO HOLDS BARRED: Hospitals and Brownouts

I know for a fact that in some countries, the local electric companies maintain databases that enable them to inform PWDs and senior citizens of planned or scheduled brownouts, especially who have pacemakers. Of course, no one can do anything about sudden or unexpected brownouts, but that is another story.

Here in the Philippines, I have not heard of MERALCO having these databases, and neither do the provincial electric coops have it.

Why is that so? Is it a matter of lacking awareness? Or perhaps lacking any interest in customer care? Or is it a case of not realizing how critical it is? Of course, it is, because it could mean life or death for those who have pacemakers. And what about the hospitals? Does MERALCO and the electric coops have a system of notifying them of planned or scheduled brownouts?

Certainly, notifications over the mass media would not be enough, because this is a matter of life and death. Aside from mass media and social media, there should be backup systems like the use of SMS and UHF/VHF radios. And how should we go about solving this problem? Is there a need to pass a national law, or is an Executive Order enough?

For a start, perhaps the DOE could issue a Department Order, since both MERALCO and the electric coops are under their jurisdiction.

For my part, I am just a writer and I have done my part by publishing this article. Someone else has to champion this cause by bringing it to DOE.* (Ike Señeres)