MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Philippines' electricity crisis has been exacerbated

by widespread corruption including theft, overpricing and phony delivery of spare

parts to generating plants, a newspaper reported on Jan. 27.

Power was cut again on the 27th throughout Manila and elsewhere because of major

shortfalls in generating capacity. Officials say the daily cuts will continue until

at least September.

The Manila chronicle quoted unnamed National Bureau of Investigation officials as

saying they have uncovered evidence of billions of pesos (millions of dollars) in

fraud within the state-run National Power Corp.

The sources estimated the fraud had cost the company U.S. $25 million in the last

five years, most of it in the theft of bunker fuel for generators.