MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte said on Thursday power cooperatives should quit if they could not keep up with electrical demand in their areas to allow the entry of bigger players.

"Itong power shortage situation in the region, matagal na kasi iyong inirereklamo ng mga tao. What is the best solution dito?" Duterte said during a public speech in Palawan, addressing Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

"Kaawa naman itong—Iloilo, ganoon din," added the President.

(People have long complained about the power shortage situation in the region. What is the best solution here? It is pitiful. Iloilo is the same.)

While Cusi's reply was partly inaudible, Duterte asked him, "Kaya na ng kooperatiba?"

(The cooperative can do it?)

"You take Palawan, noong maliit pa ito, walang entrepreneurs na papasok. Just like any other community in the Republic of the Philippines, meron silang koooperatiba. They contribute so that they can have energy," said Duterte.

(You take Palawan, when this was still a small community, there were no entrepreneurs that come in. Just like any other community in the Republic of the Philippines, they had a cooperative.)

"Pero iyong lumaki na gaya ng Iloilo (but when it grew bigger like Iloilo), the cooperatives cannot keep up with progress... Energy must eternally expand. Otherwise, babagsak ang ekonomiya," he added.

Cooperatives "cannot progress" if both their capital and revenue are small, Duterte said.

He told cooperatives that fail to meet energy demands, "Ibigay mo talaga sa may kaya. Iyong cooperatives, kung may pera kayo, bitawan na ninyo."

(Give it to those who can. If you have money, let go.)

"Ipagbili na lang ninyo, maraming pumapasok eh. Talagang may pera saka may track record... Bigay talaga ninyo sa may pera and so that the community can flourish with energy," the President added.

(Just sell it, a lot of investors are coming in. They have money and track record. Give it up to those with money and so that the community can flourish with energy.)

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