Militant group hits Iloilo over power rate hike

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  – The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) of Panay lambasted the city government for allegedly “doing nothing” about the impending increase in generation charge of P0.32 per kw/h of the Panay Energy Development Corp. (PEDC) starting this month.

BAYAN-Panay secretary-general Lean Porquia said city officials have lost credibility when they promised a significant decrease in power rates once the coal plant became fully operational.

The Energy Regulatory Commission recently approved the petition of the PEDC to increase the generation charge because it needed to meet the under-recoveries expenses incurred from August 2011 to May 2012.

Representative Jerry Treñas, during his term as city mayor, and Sen. Franklin Drilon have pushed for the construction of a coal plant with the promise to bring down power rates in the city.

Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog also advocated for the construction of the coal plant believing then that the cost for the operation and construction will no longer be charged to consumers.

Porquia, however argued that the city government has been insensitive to the growing economic crisis felt by the Ilonggos by not doing anything to stop the increase.

“If we look at the whole picture, the city government is actually serving as pacifiers to the already angry people of Iloilo City against the coal plant,” he said, adding that BAYAN and other militant groups had been contending that coal plants were never a solution to the power crisis.

Since the proposal of constructing a coal power plant, BAYAN with other progressive organization have already said coal plants were never a solution to the power crisis.

“When will the city government realize that because of the EPIRA law, capitalists will take every advantage to rob the poor people of profit through excessive and exorbitant energy fees,” Porquia said.

BAYAN-Panay has been calling for the abolishment of the EPIRA law and pushing for the nationalization of the power industry. “Our alternative is simple; nationalize the power industry so government will have direct control on the operations of power companies,” Porquia added.