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[av_heading heading=’ 6 councilors soften stance on PECO ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – Six of the 10 city councilors who last week pressed for the nonrenewal of Panay Electric Company’s (PECO) franchise appeared to have softened their stance.
In a position paper submitted to the House Committee on Legislative Franchises yesterday, councilors Lady Julie Grace Baronda, Ely Estante Jr., Reyland Hervias, Mandrie Malabor, Leizel Zulueta Salazar, and Jose Efrain Treñas said overbilling and poor customer service appeared to be the “biggest issue” against PECO.
“These representations hereby earnestly request…to resolve the issues…balanced, fairly and squarely, for the best interest of everybody…” read part of their position paper.
Their new position was a far cry from the resolution they approved last week that was unequivocal in “vehemently opposing” the renewal of PECO’s franchise.
Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, the lone member of the city council that did not vote for that resolution, also signed the new position paper of his six colleagues.
But Councilor Joshua Alim, convener of the #NoToPECO25 movement, told the committee, “The people of Iloilo City have spoken. More than 25,000 manifested their objection to the renewal of PECO’s franchise. We have suffered a lot.”
The government can take over PECO’s operation, he said.
Alim admitted he was surprised by the six councilors’ position paper. He learned about it only at the committee hearing.
Their new position “seemed in contradiction sa amon resolution,” he said. “Ginapagamo nila ang panghun-huna sang mga congressmen.”
Alim said he may raise this during next week’s regular session of city council.
He believed PECO’s presentation to the city council on Tuesday may have affected the earlier position of his six colleages.
“We suggest that the committee recommend whatever scheme as long as we will be liberated from the bondage of this abusive and very arrogant PECO,” said Alim.
PECO has been the sole power distribution utility in Iloilo City for over 90 years.
Councilor Plaridel Nava, another #NoToPECO25 movement convener, said he was dissatisfied with yesterday’s hearing on PECO’s franchise renewal application.
“I feel disappointed. We were not afforded ample time to ventilate our views,” he said.
The committee should have “considered the importance (of hearing about) the abuses, inefficiency and arrogance of PECO. The issue on overbilling and erroneous billing was not extensively discussed,” said Nava.
Councilor R Leone Gerochi submitted a separate position paper to the committee. He pressed for an end to PECO’s monopoly in the power distribution service by opening the city to other players “preferably run by a cooperative…”
Should the committee recommend the renewal of PECO’s franchise, according to Gerochi, “it should only be for a short period of time, such as five years, to allow an orderly and lawful transition of the operations of PECO to new electric distributors.”/PN
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