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Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Editorials: Power rates; salary woes
THE power rate increase season is upon us again and as evidenced by last Monday afternoon's Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) hearing, the likelihood of another jump in the rates is forthcoming.
As reiterated by the City Council, the main issue this time is asset valuation in which the power firm or distribution utility's overall valuation are said to form the basis for its request for a power rate increase.
According to the policies set forth by the ERC, the bigger the valuation, the greater chance for a distribution utility or power firm to acquire its petition for a power rate hike.
One knew that the arrangement between Minergy and the Cagayan de Oro Power and Light Co. (Cepalco) had proven beneficial for the latter since consumers paid for a surcharge on their bills covering Minergy even if the power it contributes to the energy mix for the city is miniscule at best.
Though this would be argued at length by energy officials who said Minergy helped the city cushion the impact of a power shortage in recent days. Fine, but in most days of the year it is Napocor that provides majority of the power supply for the city.
And even with that info factored in, city consumers still have to pay for that Minergy surcharge so to speak while paying yet another for that onerous power rate hike as imposed by Napocor on all power utilities.
Thus the ERC would have to consider this and other factors in deciding an equitable power rate on Cagayan de Oro and presumably, Northern Mindanao. How this would be achieved would have to be determined by consumer groups who should lobby for this equitable power rate.
Salary woes
The speculations that some Provincial Capitol employees are forced to "sell their salaries" due to the delays in the release -- one's understanding is they borrow money in order to tide them over until after they get paid -- should be quashed by a thorough investigation into the incident.
More importantly whoever came out with this report should be required to produce proof of such claims and not resort to mere hearsay.
While reports of such nature are commonplace -- one hears of 5-6 operators in City Hall who provide loans to employees at atrocious interest rates -- not one among them had come forward to testify owing perhaps to fears that pressure will be applied on them.
Still the Capitol workers need more than assurance on this score and if need be, prosecute those guilty of the offense.
(May 31, 2006 issue)
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