Friday, June 20, 2008 Pangan: Milestone By Benjie R. Pangan At Close Range
AN OFFICER and gentlemen are leaving. It must have been a deliberate decision Clark Development Corporation president Levy Laus made in resigning from the state-owned firm effective July 31, 2008, thus ending speculations from various quarters about his plans vis-a-vis the now progressive entity.
Inarguably, president Levy will leave behind a well-organized and viable firm, which has gained investors' confidence and support from the local business groups.
In a statement released to the media, Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and (Pancham) officials expressed sadness over Mr. Laus' impending resignation, citing the latter's "relentless and indefatigable efforts at promoting not only Clark but the entire region as well".
Already, the business sector is enthusiastic on Levy's return to its fold, welcoming his plans to push harder and higher his company's goals to excel, first, in automotive dealership and next, in other allied undertakings.
Always a gentleman in his dealings but oftentimes misconstrued as high-handed and aloof, Mr. Laus totes an untarnished record of accomplishments (and investments) at CDC in particular and at the Clark Freeport Zone in general. The records speak for themselves.
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Barangay Mabiga treasurer Rudy Morales has been griping about the inaction of some Municipal Hall employees on his repeated requests for new issues of the community tax certificates or cedulas. He says he had only five booklets to dispense so he had to be discriminated in issuing them to bona fide residents in order to save on his inventory. Nothing was forthcoming, according to him. He also laments non-payment of vouchers dating as far back as February this year. Hindi ka nag-iisa, Rudy.
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All about refunds and subsidies. Some Metro Manila residents have, by this time, received subsidies of P500 as assistance to power users with 100 kilowatt-hour usage or less a month. Armed with their Meralco bills, these lifeline consumers have queued up at Landbank branches in order to claim their subsidies.
In a related development, customers not just of Meralco, which covers Metro Manila and Luzon, but of other distribution utilities and electric cooperatives nationwide, will be entitled to the refunds on their meter deposits, plus interests, with the approval by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) of the guidelines to govern the rebates. Under the rules of the ERC order issued June 4 and released June 6, a Friday, private distribution utilities, including the Lopez-led Meralco should start issuing the refunds six months after the effectivity of the rules.
Non-stock and non-profit electric cooperatives have 24 months upon the effectivity of the rules to prepare for the issuance of their own refunds. The ERC rules become effective 15 days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Apart from the refunds of the actual meter deposits, as reported by Abigail Ho in the Philippine Daily Inquirer issue of June 8, 2008, customers of private distribution utilities are also entitled to interest income on their meter deposits, at rates stated in the ERC rules. Customers could opt to get their meter deposit and interest refunds in cash or check or just have these credited to their future monthly electric bills. They could also use the refund amount to offset due and demandable claims against them.
No interests in coops. Customers of electric cooperatives, writes Ms. Ho, will not be entitled to interest on their meter deposit refunds as these power distributors are non-profit organizations. In this case, customers can convert these refunds into contributions or equity that must be recorded in the books of the electric cooperatives.
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The development of the central business district north of Mabalacat town will proceed soon with the acquisition of right-of-way to the property to be developed by Xevera. Talks have been ongoing toward the development of the area, which will include the town's new municipal building, public market and other structures. A task force was created by Mayor Boking Morales to fast track paper work on this ambitious project. I heard Municipal Administrator and concurrent Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Rosan Paquia and Municipal Council member Jerry Basilio head this task force. Madaliin na ito, mga pare para mapadali rin ang asenso.
