Meralco ‘Sweetheart Deals’ inupakan

NAGHAIN sa Korte Suprema ng Petition in Intervention ang Murang Kuryente Partylist (MKP) at hiniling na isama ang kanilang nominee at energy advocate Gerry Arances, kabilang na ang kumakandito sa pagkasenador at labor leader na si Leody De Guzman bilang mga petitioner sa pending case ng pitong Power Supply Agreements (PSA) na pinasok ng Manila Electric Company.

Nabatid, sakaling matuloy ang nasabing PSA, ang mga customer ng Meralco ay magbabayad nang mataas na singil sa kanilang generation charge sa susunod na 20 taon.

“Meralco looks at its consumers as an infinite source of money, to be squeezed any time it needs to pay for the new cars and houses of its executives. We wish to be a part of this case to show the Supreme Court that the current petition against them is very important to all segments of society and can affect even the economic future of our country,” ayon kay Arances.

“What’s more, these PSAs all seek to further increase our dependence on coal, which is not only an expensive source of energy compared to renewables, but also introduce environmental and health hazards to the country. Consumers pay on so many levels, while Meralco just pockets the money,” paliwanag ni Arances.

Ang Meralco ang pinakamalaking distribution utility sa bansa na mayroon anim milyong customers at may net income na P5.72 bilyon sa ikaapat na quarter pa lamang noong 2018.

Kasama sa nabanggit na petisyon ang pangalan ng power companies na pag-aari ng power plants na kuwestiyonable at ang Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), na ang ERC Resolution No.1, Series of 2016, ay pinaantala ang pagpapatupad ng batas para paboran umano ang Meralco na magsagawa ng competitive selection process para pumili ng supplier ng enerhiya nito.

“This delay allegedly gave Meralco and the other respondents in the petition enough time to reach agreements that are disadvantageous to its customers,” pahayag ni De Guzman.

Ang MKP ay tuloy-tuloy na lumalaban sa power companies sa pagtataas ng presyo ng koryente sa kanilang consumers.

Nilabanan din ng party-list ang pagtatangka ng Philippine Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives o Philreca, na ipasa sa kanilang miyembro ng kooperatiba ang Real Estate Tax (RPT) sa kanilang consumers sa bansa.

Ang iba pang respondents sa petisyon ay Department of Energy, Central Luzon Premiere Power Corporation,  St. Raphael Power Generation Corporation, Panay Energy Development Corporation, Mariveles Power Generation Corporation, Global Luzon Energy Development Corporation, Atimonan One Energy Inc., Redondo Peninsula Energy Inc., at ang Philippine Competition Commission.