National, local gov't urged to look into 'unreasonable' power fees

CEBU, Philippines - The 21st National Assembly of the Ecumenical Bishops Forum raised issues it believes need immediate attention from government, including the alleged unreasonable fees being imposed by the Visayan Electric Company (VECO).

The bishops said that while the power firm is supposed to ensure reliable and effective service to support and strengthen livelihood and economic programs, what happens is that brown-outs have become a burden to Cebuanos in recent months. Consumers also face another round of increase in power rates.

Consumers are made to shoulder fees such as transmission charge, systems loss charge, supply charge, metering charges, CERA, ICERA, franchise tax, and VAT universal charges. This despite more than half of these charges reportedly do not form part of the people’s actual kilowatt hour consumption.

The bishops question the new performance-based rate (PBR) of Php 1.23/KWH VECO is collecting.

The bishops said the contracts between the government and independent power procedures (IPPs) are clearly anomalous and anti-people. These contracts allow IPPs to collect fees even for idle and unconsumed electricity they produce.

In the implementation if the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPRIRA) that allow private power generation and distribution companies accumulate super profits, the Cebuanos are in a loosing end, the bishops said.

The bishops challenged the national government and the Cebu City government to “rein” in private electric companies. They called on local legislators to craft resolutions that would protect consumers from profit-motive of electric companies.

Government must now take steps to control and regulate the power industry as well as junk the EPIRA, they said.

This Bishops forum takes place every other year in northern and southern Luzon, in the Visayas and in Mindanao. It is composed of Julio X. Labayen, OCD, DDC and chairman of the forum; Renel Norman O. Morigaza, UUCP, Bp. Solito T. Toquero, UMC Bp.; Nathanael Lazaro, IEMELIF; Bp. Godofredo David, IFI; Bp. Constante Claro, UCCP; Bp. Elmer M. Bolocan, UCCP; Bp. Jaime R. Mariles, UCCP; Bp. Dulce Pia Rose, UCCP; Bp. Jesse Suarez, UCCP; and Bp. Alexander Wanday ECP.

Labayen said the forum is about building God’s household and proclaim to the people a unity around God. Its objective is to engage people to build a nation with dignity and rights and to provide an avenue for people to participate in a dialogue on issues that affect them. (THE FREEMAN)