THE OTHER day I was watching the live broadcast of President Rodrigo Duterte with regards the COVID-19 situation now starting to seriously affect the country. The President was, of course, in his usual manner of speaking that rambling on monotone that irritates the usual suspects.
For lack of any other description, I’d like to call that speaking style of President Duterte as the putang ina or hijo de puta Duterte signature speech. Of course, it always infuriates the “devotees to the cult of the yellow ribbon”, the trendy Frappuccino-infused social-climbing woke millennials, making them squirm in their yellow knickers.
Sure enough, upon waking up the following morning to the reality that Rodrigo Duterte is still the President, the usual suspects started circulating online excerpts of that “putang ina” Duterte signature speech with the sole purpose of ridiculing it, hopefully to ease the pain that he is still the President.
You see, for the “devotees to the cult of the yellow ribbon”, the cure for COVID-19 is to oust Duterte and replace him with Leni Robredo, then “miraculously” the virus will disappear and those infected will immediately be cured.
Hallelujah! Praise the idiots! Amen!
And we segue to recent upheavals that have sort of confused the natives of “I Am Iloilo City”.
We are, of course, referring to the MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and Panay Electric Co. (PECO) peep show. And the way things are going, this ongoing tug-of-war between MORE Power and PECO is looking more and more like a striptease live on stage. Now you see, now you don’t.
Lately though, things were looking bleak indeed for PECO. The odds were stack in favor of MORE Power which has secured a franchise as sole power provider of “I Am Iloilo City” courtesy of Congress via Republic Act (RA) 11212 duly approved and signed by President Rodrigo Duterte, and a Writ of Possession issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 23.
PECO does not have any legal leg to stand on as their franchise as sole power provider of “I Am Iloilo City” expired on Jan. 19, 2019 to be exact. All it has is amor propio, a sense of entitlement and the mistaken notion that a franchise is a right when the whole world knows it is not; it is a privilege that can only be granted by law.
Aside from the courts, the ongoing conflict between MORE Power and PECO has also shifted to mainstream and social media despite the gag order coming from RTC, Branch 23.
It seems PECO has been coming out with statements on mainstream and social media claiming this and claiming that so much so that the Energy Regulatory Commission or ERC has to come out with pronouncements totally debunking the claims of PECO.
Excerpts from the March 9, 2020 issue of Panay News:
ERC TO CONSUMERS: DON’T GET CONFUSED
MORE Power authorized operator of distribution system
There should be no confusion as to the rightful entity to distribute power in this city, according to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
It is MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power).
In issuing a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to MORE Power, ERC chairperson and chief executive officer Agnes Devanadera stressed the Commission was “mindful of its mandates to protect consumer interest, ensure uninterrupted electric service to consumers in Iloilo City and prevent chaos and confusion among said customers as to who is authorized to operate the distribution system in the area.”
On March 3 and 4, ERC technical personnel conducted an ocular inspection to verify the actual status of the distribution network and determine which among MORE Power and PECO was actually operating the said system.
In their inspection report submitted to the Commission, the team confirmed that MORE had gained full possession and control over five substations, prepared for all other aspects related to electricity distribution, and had power supply contracts with four power suppliers that would ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity sufficient to serve the consumers in Iloilo city. The ERC inspection team likewise verified MORE Power’s full readiness and capacity in aspects of development, operation and maintenance of the distribution system.
And from the March 10, 2020 issue of Panay News:
Consumers should recognize ERC order – Devanadera
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has already spoken on the matter of which entity is the duly authorized power distributor in this city, according to Chairperson Agnes Devanadera.
Therefore, she stressed, consumers must recognize the Commission’s decision – that MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) is the sole power distributor in the city.
Devanadera also stressed that ERC has the exclusive jurisdiction to determine which power distributor has the authority to operate.
Any legal issue or court case does not dilute the sole authority granted to ERC by law, specifically the Electricity Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), she said.
EPIRA gave the Commission as a quasi-judicial entity the sole jurisdiction over the operation of electricity distribution utilities.
“ERC is the body that has the exclusive authority on these matters – supply of electricity, rates. Since the ERC has spoken already, then consumers should also recognize the order of ERC,” she stressed.
The proper authorities have spoken. So let’s not confuse the natives. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)
