THE Iloilo City Council called out a national media outlet’s news article for stating that Ilonggo officials rejected the entry of the new power distributor, More Power.
In a privileged speech on December 4 during the council’s regular session, Councilor Joshua Alim said that Manila Standard’s news item is “misleading and misinformed information.”
Without a byline, the news article entitled, “Iloilo’s local government officials reject More,” was published on December 2.
The article contains opposing statements of Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon and Councilor Julie Grace Baronda from More Power’s presentation on November 26.
Alim pointed out that Manila Standard should be corrected since the City Council was unable to provide a stand about the power distributor’s presentation and the statement of one official does not speak for the whole.
“It is not a collective sentiment of this body when members of this body questioned the capability of More. This does not necessarily follows that it is already the stand of this August body as a collective body,” he added.
Baronda, in the session, clarified that their statements was just their observation during More Power’s presentation and the council hasn’t able to discuss the power distributor’s proposition.
Based on the news article, Baronda said that More Power’s plan is “super ambitious” due to the pledge to change the power situation for six months.
Assistant floor leader of the City Council Baronda said More’s presentation of its plans left her with more questions than answers.
She said More’s plans, appeared to be “super ambitious,” with a promise to deliver miraculous results “in a span if six months.” Such plans, she said, were “not doable,” as stated on the Manila Standard’s issue.
“The headline story is misleading, because it says, the city officials rejected more. We did not say that. Even the statement of the vice mayor is very clear. He has the opinion, Councilor Baronda’s opinion,” Councilor Plaridel Nava said. (Carolyn Jane Abello)