PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte’s side remarks in his speech the other week while in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, referred to Panay Electric Company (PECO) when he said: “Because it is providing good electricity eh gusto mo lang mang-agaw ng negosyo, sabi ko eh ‘wag na.”
It gave hope to PECO that it might overcome the serious threat in the renewal of its power franchise for Iloilo that is pending in Congress.
The President was alluding to a new power distributor, MORE Electric and Power Corporation, whose franchise to operate an electric service was already “approved in principle” by the Senate’s Committee on Public Services even if it does not own any power distribution facility.
Previously, we mentioned of PECO’s application for franchise renewal under House Bill No. 6023 filed way back on July 22, 2017 but it was stuck in the Committee on Legislative Franchises at the Lower House awaiting further hearing.
On the other hand, MORE Power’s franchise application which was filed only on Aug. 22, 2018, or more than one year after PECO’s, was promptly endorsed by the Lower House and sent to the Committee on Public Services in the Senate that “approved it in principle” upon receipt. It was passed on second reading in the Senate on Nov. 21, 2018.
Obviously very confident to get approval of its franchise, MORE Electric has already put out full page ads in the newspaper to announce job openings for its operation.
We previously suggested that the two companies get together and join forces to supply the power needs of an “expanding and booming Iloilo” as one advertising firm called us, but MORE Power wants no less than a total takeover of the power business in Iloilo.
In fairness, it is our opinion that PECO’s franchise renewal bill under HB No. 6023 must at least be heard by the House and determine if it is qualified to renew its franchise or not, as it did entertain another applicant.
If President Duterte intervenes and looks into the two franchise applications, PECO has a good chance of getting justice and renew its franchise for Iloilo considering that it has power infrastructures already in place.
Maybe we could then ask also the President to advise PECO to bring down its power rate of P13.30 per kWh to the level of other power providers in the country. For example, we have Socoteco II or the South Cotabato Electric Cooperative operating in General Santos City and its environs that charges only P5.46 per kWh. Also, Davao light sells only at P6.87 per kWh while Meralco’s rate in Metro Manila is at P10 per kWh.
Let us see what happens when MORE’s franchise bill pass Congress and reach the President for signature, as against PECO’s franchise renewal that likewise caught the President’s concern.
We pray for a win-win solution from the President in the hope that no power interruption will happen in Iloilo because of this conflict.
***
Historical Quote of the Week
“The first gravity irrigation system built outside Luzon is the Santa Barbara Irrigation System in Santa Barbara, Iloilo.” (For comments or re-actions, please e-mail to jnoveracompany@yahoo.com/PN)
