ILOILO City – Members of an independent advocacy group and think tank trooped to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in Metro Manila yesterday to protest the high electricity rates of Panay Electric Company (PECO), the sole power distributor in this city.
Pinoy Aksyon for Governance and Environment (Pinoy Aksyon) also echoed the call of Iloilo City power consumers on Congress not to extend PECO’s franchise which is expiring next year.
The group said they were in solidarity with the power consumers in this city to expedite the resolution of the complaint filed against PECO for the “1,000 percent” increase in their electricity bills even if they were experiencing frequent power outages.
However, “it is not just the high power bills” which consumers were complaining against but also PECO’s power services that frequently out,” according to BenCy Ellorin, chairperson of Pinoy Aksyon.
PECO consumers filed a complaint before the ERC in August. The commission is set to hear the case this week.
An earlier petition by PECO consumers was addressed to Congress. In a petition-letter to the House of Representatives’ Committee on Legislative Franchises, they called on legislators to disapprove PECO’s application for franchise extension, filed under House Bill 6023.
Ellorin said their group is helping electric consumers of PECO bring their cause to the ERC and even in Congress where PECO’s franchise renewal is being deliberated.
Pinoy Aksyon said in a statement that they would like ERC to exercise its mandate as a regulatory agency, by looking in the public utility franchise of PECO, which to start with is based on “comfort and convenience.”
ERC should look whether PECO is following to the letter its franchise as a public service provider or not, it stressed.
“As a company engaged in delivery of public service, they should put first the interests of their consumers, and not just their bottom line or profit,” said Ellorin.
Among the reasons enumerated in the petition were overbilling, billing without reading of electric meter, frequent power outages, poor consumer relations and disrespect to the City Council of Iloilo City.
Pinoy Aksyon is an independent advocacy group and think tank.
It promotes consumer rights, good governance and the right of the people to live in a healthful and balanced environment./PN
