Greed will find a way

Singer and songwriter Don Moen once popularized the phrase “God will make a way where there seems to be no way”. In the case of Meralco, they are most likely to give meaning to the phrase “Greed will find a way”.

When Meralco began announcing that they would start giving back what they should not have taken, namely our money for meter deposits, I wanted to believe that Meralco still had enough Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR, for them to admit the error and refund our money.

My bill for October included a notice: Meter Deposit Refund. The pertinent portion stated: “On June 4, 2008, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) released the Meter Deposit Refund guidelines for all Distribution Utilities in the Philippines which became effective on July 5.” Under these guidelines, the Meter Deposit Refund should begin within six months from effectivity, which means not later than January 2009.

Last month’s bill notified Meralco customers to wait for “your scheduled refund” in the next Meralco bill. I assumed it was only fair to let Meralco sort things out and set up a schedule so people don’t storm their offices and causing stampedes or riots. Instead I cautiously rejoiced over the unexpected blessing by way of a refund.

Even if the MDR was by “law”, the optimist in me wanted to look at the brighter side of things. This morning everything went pitch black after reading the notice on my Meralco electric bill!

(Tuesday 11/25)

Update Meter Deposit Refund

“As the registered customer of this service, you are eligible for a Meter Deposit Refund (MDR).

“The MDR will be implemented over five (5) years as specified in the ERC approved guidelines.

“Your specific refund schedule will be announced in your electric bill the month your MDR is due for processing.

“For your convenience, please go to the Meralco business center only after you receive the notice about your refund schedule.”

In other words, please don’t hold your breath or place your life on hold while waiting for your refund because Meralco has five more years to decide when in the next five years will Meralco give back your MDR and/or if they will give it back on a daily, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual payments.

In the same manner they love to blame NAPOCOR for the exorbitant rates and schizophrenic billing statements. Meralco is now telling us to blame the Energy Regulatory Board because they were the ones who worded the decision; “as specified in the ERC approved guidelines”. Greed will always find a way!

So as it stands, those of us who should have been blessed have actually been dealt an added “insult” to our injury. The ERC points out that Meralco took advantage through the forced meter deposits, but we can’t get it how we want it and when we want it because the ERC decided to give favorable terms to Meralco at the disadvantage of legitimate consumers who were forced by Meralco to accept illegitimate terms for electric connection.

 If the directors of the ERC are not careful, there is a high probability that somewhere in this arrangement, the suspicion of Conspiracy, Betrayal of Public Trust as well as graft or corruption are more than likely to explode. The board can be cavalier about the matter but unlike national scandals decisions affecting ordinary citizens become personal and emotional.

While Meralco executives can hide behind a brand, public officials and individuals cannot hide or disclaim their responsibility and their accountability. If not to the public, they will certainly account to GOD. Just pray you don’t meet up with us ordinary people at the next family reunion or cocktail party because you could end up being the roast…..with our spit. 

Too good to resist

The Chair Wrecker recently did a column on MSG. Despite his highly informative piece, people were disappointed that he did not include insane suggestions on the uses of MSG, so here are some:

Feign a medical condition. If you take more than the usual dose, you could simulate a fake cardiac condition that could divert a plane without having to be the First Gentleman or avoid arrest by the Senate and land a famous hospital for political refugees.

If you’re sick and tired of doctors who are only too willing to write up excuse slips to criminally disposed politicians, you could gulp down an excess amount of MSG and see the same doctors who will certainly misdiagnose you.

Then you can sue them for malpractice! On the other hand eat MSG-free food and see if they already misdiagnosed you.

If you have a relative or someone constantly in need of a high, MSG might work as a placebo for speed or shabu. But if you’re looking for a placebo for good cooking, just fire the cook and eat out.

A despondent housewife can use it to spike dinner so her cold and unresponsive husband can feel his heart beat over dinner. But if the husband is a dog, I heard it works just as well as chocolates fed to a canine.

If you happen to be in the bottled water business, MSG is great at enhancing sales of drinking water as well as coffee which is the known cure for an MSG induced palpitation or breathing problem. If you’re shooting a video for asthmatics and need realism, line up a few willing victims and feed them lots of food spiked with lots of MSG. You will quickly have a cast of wheezing performers worthy of the Oscars.

And if you’re trying to impress your future in-laws, keep a secret vial of MSG. If you don’t get a husband, you can at least apply as their cook even if you don’t know how to cook!

Many people suffer the ill effects of MSG. Not all but many. If you need to use a mind/body-altering chemical so your food tastes great, wouldn’t it be better to get a good cook and lots of fresh food? If the health of non-smokers is protected, shouldn’t we protect the health of people living MSG free?