ILONGGOS HAVE SPOKEN: ‘Renew PECO franchise, no to MORE Power’

ILOILO City – As More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) was presenting to the Sangguniang Panlungsod at city hall its plans for this city yesterday, thousands of angry placard-bearing protesters gathered across Plaza Libertad to oppose its entry and the railroading of its power distribution franchise. The rallyists also blasted local politicians supportive of MORE Power.

The protesters said MORE Power, a company with zero experience in the power distribution industry, would plunge Iloilo City into darkness. They then pushed for the continued operation of Panay Electric Company (PECO) and called for the renewal of its franchise.

In an obvious publicity stunt, MORE Power gathered at Plaza Libertad, too, about a hundred people chanting self-serving slogans but they were drowned out by pro-PECO supporters.

There was another set of small protesters, mostly members of cause-oriented groups. They were reportedly dispersed by the police for failing to secure a rally permit from the city government and the Iloilo City Police Office.

Observers viewed the zealous support PECO got from the rallyists as reflective of the real sentiment of majority of the Ilonggos – the continued operation of PECO and the renewal of its franchise.

One consumer interviewed expressed uneasiness on MORE Power, citing the company’s inexperience.

“Indi namon sila kilala kag daw wala man sila experience sa amo ‘ni nga ubra kay bago lang sila nga kompaniya,” she said.

A perusal of MORE Power’s incorporation history, its Certificate of Incorporation and Amended Articles of Incorporation of 2016, showed it is engaged in mining activities and never in power distribution.

Another consumer noted MORE Power’s zero track record in power distribution compared to PECO’s over nine decades of solid experience in the industry.

“Bago pa lang sila ga-hire tawo. Wala gid kita sini kasiguradohan sa ila. Ang PECO may mga improvements nga kinahanglan pero kilala ta na sila. Dako na ang ginbulig nila sa syudad sang Iloilo. Kung baga, gamay na lang nga pag-improve. Ang MORE Power dako gid nga question mark,” he said.

Many in the crowd also questioned the speed with which MORE Power’s franchise application was approved in the House of Representatives and the Senate. They complained, too, of not having been involved in the process as stakeholders from Iloilo City.

The protesters urged President Rodrigo Duterte to intervene since both houses of Congress appeared bent on pushing through with the transition of power distribution in the city from PECO to MORE Power.

“Subong pa lang sila nag-present sang kun ano plano nila sa Iloilo City. Kulbaan ko para sa mga taga-Iloilo. Sa mga hearings nila wala man gina-air sa radio unlike sa PECO nga bilog nga Iloilo nagpamati last year,” according to an anti-MORE Power protester.

He added, “Tani mabuligan man kita ni President Duterte kay siya gid ang may pwersa na mapa-sakto ang indi manami nga nagakatabo.”

Meanwhile, some consumers noted the positive developments in Iloilo City, partly due to the reliability of PECO’s service, and how many of their friends and relatives have gotten jobs lately. They feared of adverse consequences that a transition to a new power distribution utility could bring.

“Nami gid pag angat sang Iloilo City kag damo na sa mga kapamilya namon kag mga kilala ang nakakuha ubra tungod sini. Dako gid nga gamble para sa syudad kag mga Ilonggo kun mag-transition pa kita kay wala kasiguraduhan nga ma-continue nila ang positive developments,” said a consumer./PN