Thursday, June 19, 2008
City Council asks Veco to explain fees on electric bill
THE Cebu City Council yesterday decided to ask the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) to orient them on the fees listed on its monthly bill.
This was after City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, an electrical engineer, delivered a privilege speech admitting that he could not understand his own electric bill.
“As I go over electrical bill issued by the…Veco, charges and fees are reflected which are beyond laymen’s and marginalized sectors’ understanding. Thoughts have rallied in me, combating my spirit to understand those fees and charges,” he said.
Commerce
“The challenge for me, therefore, is to stand up before this august body to speak in behalf of over a million residents of the City of Cebu,” he added.
The council also wondered why Veco is allowed to use the sidewalk for its posts, while vendors are not.
“There are issues I would like to ask from Veco. Sidewalks are supposed to be beyond the commerce of men, but why is Veco allowed the use of sidewalks for their power posts, while our poor constituents, the vendors, are not allowed,” wondered City Councilor Augustus Pe Jr.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama, council presiding officer, responded that there may be concessions made for Veco, and asked City Councilor Jose Daluz III to look into it.
Cabarrubias said he found it timely to ask for Veco’s enlightenment because of the systems loss issue hounding the Meralco in Manila.
Consumers
He asked the Veco “to explain the charges and fees reflected in the electric bill for the consuming public, to enlighten us further about lifeline consumers, subsidized rate, and how many percent of the total consumer benefited by the said rate.”
He likewise asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) “to enact alternative to lessen charges and fees for electric bill,” and to attend a public hearing with Veco on Aug. 20.
Pe also asked that consumer groups and the urban poor should be invited, as they are directly affected by whatever adjustments in electricity rates.
City Councilor Arsenio Pacańa suggested for Msgr. Achilles Dakay to be invited to represent the consumer groups. (RHM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (June 19, 2008 issue)
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