Friday, October 06, 2006 Consumers want Panay power firm to implement refund
SOME consumers of Panay Electric Company, the sole power distribution utility in Iloilo City, are demanding immediate implementation of the P2.89-billion refund order issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission on June 9.
The order was issued after the commission found out that Peco overcharged its consumers.
The consumers represented by the Freedom from Debt Coalition and the newly formed Katilingban sang mga Kunsumidor sang Kuryente sa Siyudad sang Iloilo (Association of Electricity Consumers in Iloilo City) put forward this demand on the eve of the scheduled public hearing of the ERC in the Iloilo City on Friday.
The ERC opted to hold the hearing in Iloilo City after Atty. Romeo Gerochi of the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC-Iloilo) suggested to the Commissioners present during the Sept. 7, 2006 hearing held in Cebu City that the case is of high interest to the Ilonggo consumers, thus it is favorable to have it held in Iloilo City.
Moreover, Gerochi invited the electricity consumers of Peco to attend the hearing.
"This is an opportunity for the Ilonggo public to witness how cases such as the P2.89-billion refund order are being handled by the ERC. This is also the chance of the City Government, government agencies involve in consumer protection, and other interest groups to participate and register their opposition," added Gerochi.
The ERC is expected to hold a marathon hearing on the motion for reconsideration filed by Peco questioning its June 9, 2006 order directing Peco to return consumer's money it amassed through overcharges. The firm said ERC rendered a decision that disregarded its right to procedural due process, among others.
Ted Aldwin Ong, FDC's deputy secretary general, said the "only remaining option for Peco (was) to delay the implementation of the refund order."
"But there is no escaping here, we have put forward a concrete alternative to the ERC on the refund and that is to take over the ownership of Peco," Ong said.
The KKK-SI and FDC together with other groups and individuals embarked on a massive awareness drive with the end purpose of informing the public and gathering their support on the concept of consumers taking over an abusive power utility.
"Consumers in areas that we have covered so far have been very supportive of the move to take over Peco in the midst of the refund order. We have yet to cover other areas, but on communities we have completed, we are pleased with the response and support of both the consumers and the barangay officials," said Ong.
For Gerochi, "we are confident that the ERC will uphold the series of orders they have issued against Peco. On the same manner, we are expecting ERC to junk the motion for reconsideration filed by Peco seeking to reverse its order for Peco to return consumer's money."
"What we demand now is for the ERC to compel Peco to immediately implement its order while we finalize the plan for the actual takeover of Peco," concluded Gerochi.
(October 6, 2006 issue) Write letter to the editor. Click here. Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here.
