Power, or the lack of it

If there is something the country does not need – I know I certainly don’t – it is another period of infernal rotating brownouts! But warning signals have been sounded by the electric company that the Metro may suffer what it went through in 1994 with the breaking down of one of its key transformers in Las Piñas last week. Only their rerouting of power and distribution spared the Metro from a long powerless period. But according to the same, this “patchwork” cannot last long since the remaining transformers cannot take that kind of load for prolonged hours. What has to be done is to get a new transformer, and perhaps rehabilitate the whole system, if possible. Of course that takes a ton of money! Something everyone always claims they don’t have!

 The Philippines has one of the most expensive power rates in the region, if not in Asia. Why this continues to be a problem through the years is beyond me. Why the solution seems to have eluded every administration, good or bad is just unacceptable. Power is everything. It runs industry, runs businesses and makes lives comfortable. Without power, everything grinds to a halt. Slow enough as it is, businesses and industries would do well without rotating brownouts. And with the summer season well upon us, it is unacceptable.

 I remember those days in 1994, when long, daily rotating brownouts just brought misery to so many people. You were one of the lucky ones if your area had morning schedules. But for the many unfortunate whose schedules occurred at night, it was just miserable! Students could neither study nor sleep. Parents were tired the next morning, only to be greeted without power at their places of work! Businesses slowed down to a crawl. Everyone flocked to the malls just to stay cool. But this was only a temporary relief.

 I believe in the economies of scale. That things become cheaper if more people can benefit from them rather than the few. Which is why I believe that power pilferage must be addressed, and dealt with harshly. Those who pay for their use of power should not be made to shoulder those who steal. And power pilferage is one of the issues that the electric companies all over the country must address. If power can be distributed, and paid for over a large area or population, then the rates must go down. But there must be available power to begin with. The administration as well as the lawmakers should encourage the building of more infrastructures in the power sector. Politics has always reared its ugly head whenever power is concerned, primarily because it is big money. And no two words are more synergistic in the English language!

Nobody wants to go back to the dark ages. At a time of multitasking cellphones and tablets, power should no longer be a problem! But areas like Mindanao are still suffering. It is very easy to point fingers, but what good will that do. Since we now have an administration that we can trust, then we trust it will finally solve the perennial problem of power.