The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines commended the Department of Interior and Local Goverment over the weekend, "for the proactive support it extended" in coordinating with Local Goverment Units affected by several critical transmission projects.

"With the DILG assistance, NGCP was able to secure 26 building permits from affected LGUs traversed by Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP). We are greatful for the assistance of Sec. Benhur Abalos who extended very accomodations and went as far as appointing Assistant Secretary Odie Pasarabawho has been invaluable in our coordination with LGUs," NGCP stated.

"Para sa kuryente ito ng bansa. Nag-usap kami ng NGCP last year, humihingi ng tulong. We helped NGCP by personally calling mayors to cooperate. We listed the names of those areas of which have problems and personally called them up. For those who are against, we tried to convinced them. I appointed Usec Pasaraba to be the one in charge. As per their own statement, 26 bldg permits were immediately issued. I presume that these are critical areas for transmission inter- connectivity for the whole country," Abalos on the other end told the Daily Tribune.

NGCO said Friday that it fully energized the P51.3-billion MVIP grid.l and conducted a simultaneous ceremonial switch-on in Manila, Cebu and Lanao del Norte to mark the successful full energization of the MVIP, the largest investment for a single transmission backbone project or high voltage direct current transmission project.

“I’m pleased to finally see the energization of 450-megawatt (MW) MVIP. It is the first time in the history of our nation that the three major power grids those of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao our now physically connected. A 184-circuit kilometer high voltage direct current submarine cable with the transfer capacity of 450 MW now connects the Mindanao and Visayas Grids via Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte and Santander in Cebu,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.