FOR the naive and uninitiated, the statement of account of Pampanga II Electric Cooperative, Inc., (PELCO II) is a maze of charges whose nomenclature may baffle them.
For starters, let us examine the billing paper of the electric cooperative.
First on the list is the so-called generation charges consisting of generation system charge, franchise and benefits to host, automatic cost adjustment and other generation adjustment.
What are the franchise and benefits to host? Who's the host? What about automatic and other generation adjustments?
Next, the transmission charges which consist of transmission system charge, other transmission cost adjustment and other transmission dem chg.
What are these? Are they veiled charges?
The system loss charge and other system loss adjustment are obviously charged to the consumers. Are we to blame for the system loss of the electric cooperative?
There are distribution and supply charges in the list.
Are these necessary? The metering charges are passed on to consumers when it is the inherent duty of meter readers! And sometimes they even engage in guesswork.
Adding to the consumers' woes are the vaguely defined charges such as other charges and subsidies discount consisting of lifeline rate subsidy, other lifeline rate adjustment and senior citizen subsidy.
Do senior citizens really benefit from the imposition?
The value added tax is definitely passed on the gullible and uncomplaining consumers.
The last and irrelevant item on the statement of account is the universal charge consisting of missionary electrification, environment charge and NPC standard construct cost. What are these impositions? Shades of sadistic acts.
And yet, the electric supply service of PELCO II leaves much to be desired. It does not serve the city any good as when it interrupts its service at the slightest show of lightning. Poor service, bah.
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Congestion in Metro Manila. The daily scourge of Metro Manilans would not see its resolution despite the transfer of traffic management to the Highway Patrol Group or HPG.
No amount of rationalizing can ever solve the festering traffic problem as long as the density of vehicles is not drastically reduced.
Even the vaunted HPG effort would come to naught because of the sheer volume of vehicles which increase every waking minute. Sigh.