An appeal to erring VECO employees

I hear that some employees of the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) are planning to hold a strike, which to many of us is considered illegal as this is a vital industry where a strike could cripple the economy, especially in these very critical times when the rest of the world is experiencing a global financial crisis which refuses to go away. It’s bad enough that there are a lot of people out there who lost their jobs, while the new graduates could hardly find one. And here we have people who already have jobs but couldn’t care any less to cause havoc to Cebu’s economy.

What is even more disturbing is what I’ve heard from my own sources that one of the complaints of these VECO employees stem from an old privilege that they use to enjoy — free light and power privileges or was it their monthly bill is only worth a day’s wages? I have always known that this privilege was granted to the employees prior to the take over of the Aboitiz Group of VECO and was one of the reasons of systems losses, a problem that has been corrected with the new management.

In the end, VECO employees just like the rest of us lesser mortals are slapped with a disconnection notice if they don’t pay their bills on time. I gathered that the power bills of some employees even reach a high of 900-kilowatt hours per month, while the average consumption of most Cebu residents are pegged only at 200-kilowatt hours. So when VECO disconnected the power (lesser mortals are give two months notice, while VECO employees have a four month notice) of some employees, they cried to their union, hence they have threatened to conduct a strike! What a selfish attitude for such employees, who ought to look at the rest of the economy of Cebu.

Let me point out clearly that we would side with these employees if they have legitimate complaints. But like what I said, if and when they do call for a strike they ought to know the consequences of their action and its consequences to Cebu’s economy and to themselves. Finally, let me quote from a poster in the men’s room at the PAL Terminal which goes, “When you’re tired of your job, think of the jobless, the disabled and those who wish that they had yours!” I hope cooler heads would listen to our pleas.

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There is a book launching today at the Casa Gorordo Museum on the biography of former vice-president Emmanuel Pelaez entitled ‘What’s Happening to Our Country: The Life and Times of Emmanuel Pelaez’ written by my good friend, political commentator Nelson Navarro who will be presented to Cebu civic leaders and students of political history by the foundation named after the former statesman in partnership with his nephew, Mactan Chamber of Commerce President Efrain T. Pelaez Jr.

The coffee table book of over 340 pages is both a biography and compelling narrative woven around the key political figures from the Quirino up to the Aquino administrations. It clearly illustrates the patriotism exhibited by pre-Marcos political figures and serves as a worthy reminder for the need for genuine servant leadership among those seeking public office.

This book is aptly titled because in the 80’s Pelaez waged a fiery crusade against the coconut levy, “perhaps the biggest of all Marcosian scandals,” according to Navarro. As a result of his unrelenting pursuit of truth and justice for the coconut farmer in a period when political opposition was hardly tolerated, Pelaez was ambushed and nearly died in 1982. The coconut monopoly was dismantled soon after. No doubt this is one book that students of Philippine political history ought to read, because Manning Pelaez gave us hope that there were people who stood up against the Marcos Dictatorship. 

I remember that day when Manning Pelaez made that famous question to I think it was General Karingal when he visited Pelaez in the hospital bed. I also cannot forget how Pelaez lost to Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos the nomination of the Nacionalista Party during their convention, which was marred by massive vote-buying. The Filipino people ought to be reminded of one of Pelaez’s greatest contributions to his country when as Senator and Congressman he authored the Rural Electrification Act of 1969, which is why today, there is light and power in the far-flung provinces.

The attempted assassination of Manning Pelaez was proof that the Marcos Dictatorship would never tolerate dissent from anyone, even a former Vice-President. You can say that the Pelaez incident prefigured the assassination of the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, but this time, the Filipino people ran out of patience and booted him out of Malacañang during the EDSA Revolt of 1986. If at all, I see the return of Emmanuel Pelaez, I see it in his nephew, Efrain “Jun” Pelaez who at great risk to his person is fighting corruption against corrupt government officials.