We are glad that with the intervention of the Department of Energy (DOE) in our power problem, the conflicting parties have upheld public interest and ensured the continuous delivery of electric service in Iloilo City. Panay Electric Company (PECO) should be commended in agreeing to continue operation even if its power franchise expired on Jan. 18, 2019.
DOE explained that PECO could continue its service since its Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity issued by the then Energy Regulatory Board is set to expire yet on May 25, 2019.
Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi met on Jan. 17 with representatives of PECO and power suppliers Panay Power Corporation, Panay Energy Development Corporation and Palm Power Corporation to coordinate the actions of the various industry players pending resolution of the issue on the franchise to operate the power distribution system in Iloilo City. We gathered that PECO is poised to elevate its case up to the Supreme Court.
Whatever happens to this power conflict, we are glad to note that the parties have upheld public interest in their actions.
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After our Jan. 9 column, we missed to write for the rest of the month or on three Tuesdays up to the 29th because we were hospitalized for 10 days. We thought it was just a simple case of âfluâ but our doctors at the Iloilo Doctorâs Hospital wonât release us until we got a full check-up that included a thorough physical examination, x-ray and bone scan where one is placed inside a large tube. Praise God, we are now home for a little rest and hopefully back soon to our regular routine.
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We watched the Dinagyang Festival on TV and sat out in our living room throughout the performance of the various tribes before the new and spacious Freedom Grandstand now on Muelle Loney facing the Iloilo River. But why this move to change the name to Dinagyang Grandstand and lose the historical significance of the landmark establishment?
Let us be reminded that it was put up to commemorate the Iloilo City Freedom Law authored by then congressman (later senator) Rodolfo Ganzon that granted the citizens of Iloilo City the right to vote for their mayor and other public officials for the first time, after decades of their just being appointed.
Dinagyang was a coined word from the late radio announcer, Pacifico Sudario, to name our own ati-atihan festival and distinguish it from that of Kalibo in Aklan province also held in January.
We believe that the Iloilo City Freedom Law has great political significance to us as a city. Naming a public grandstand is the least we can do for it to remind us of that event in our history that probably contributed to the great and progressive city that we have become today.
New Year, New Hope. Happy New Year!
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Historical Quote of the Week
âIloilo has been recognized as the No. 1 food-producing province in our country.â
(For comments or re-actions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com)/PN
