Meralco cuts power to 11 Manila schools for non-payment

Since last week 11 public schools in Manila have been relying on sunlight and wind for lighting and ventilation after their electricity was cut off due to non-payment of bills.

At least eight others are expected to follow suit if payments are not immediately made by the city government.

During Thursday’s city council session, Manila officials agreed to shoulder the accumulated debts of the city’s five high schools and six elementary schools where power has been cut. Power, however, is not expected to be restored until Monday, when payments are expected to be made.

Payments will be taken from the unused P9.8-million of Manila’s school education fund, a special fund. It could not be immediately determined if the fund realignment is sufficient to cover the bills as this year’s request for fund subsidy for light and water of the schools already amount to P10 million.

The 11 public schools where electricity was cut were the following high schools, P. Paez, located in Balut, Tondo; Fugoso in Sampaloc; Aguinaldo in Sta. Ana; Maceda Integrated in Sampaloc; and Calderon in Tondo. The elementary schools were Lukban in Paco; Zamora in Pandacan, Albert in Dapitan, Sampaloc; Sumulong in Sta. Cruz, Hizon on Abad Santos, Tondo, and Guerrero in Paco.

The eight schools shown to have incurred debts to the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) amounting to more than P4 million as shown in their "request for funding on electric consumption" and have asked for the city government’s financial assistance were; the Benitez, Jacinto, Guevarra, Pelaez, Palma, Balagtas, Hernandez, and De los Reyes elementary schools.

Pelaez Elementary School has incurred debts dating back to Jan. 1994; Benitez’s total debt to Manila Electric Company (Meralco) of more than P470,250 is the smallest.

Incurring the biggest debt was Guevarra Elementary School with P2,088,331 representing power consumption from September 1993 to February last year. – Jose Aravilla