Let’s Vote for Petilla and Neri for the Senate
David Celestra Tan, MSK
All electric consumers of whatever leanings for the Presidency, Grace Poe, Mar Roxas, Duterte or Binay, or party, LP, UNA, NPC, PDP, must insert in their Senatorial Votes candidates Carlos Jericho Petilla (No. 41) and Neri Colmenares (No. 11).
Electric consumers, especially those in the Meralco area, have direct stakes in the candidacy of these two proven pro-electric consumer candidates who can push for needed legislative reforms to protect the electric consumers and work for the elimination of the flaws and loopholes of the current rules and laws that cause the current high Meralco rates.
Your organization, Matuwid na Singil sa Kuryente Consumer Alliance Inc. had been pushing for reforms in the rules to eliminate abuse and high power rates. We have filed position papers at the Department of Energy and filed petitions for rule changes at the Energy Regulatory Commission. We have tried to inform the public through any media outlets that will care for consumers. At some point there needs to be improvements at the source of all these consumer abuses which are the Power Laws that supposed guide these government policy and regulations. Even MSK’s call for the review and repeal of Rule 11 of the Epira IRR has been falling on deft ears at the JCPC.
Carlos Jericho Petilla is a former Energy Secretary who had demonstrated not only intellectual depth to understand the complex inner workings and laws of the power sector that lead to high rates, but the proven heart, courage, and integrity to stand up for the consumers in passing tough rules.
Petilla, Champion for a Truly Open and Competitive Power Generation Sector
As Energy Secretary Petilla took the bold step of changing the government’s long time policy of tolerating the self-negotiation of power generation contracts that lead to higher sweetheart prices being charged to the consumers. He instituted a gutsy Competitive Selection Process (CSP) policy at the risk of losing the support of the distributor-generator combines who are big potential contributors to election campaigns.
CSP is a monumental shift in government apathetic attitude towards the need to protect the electric consumers from the sweetheart prices that distribution utilities like Meralco are allowed to negotiate with the sister generators. It will lead to a reduction of P0.50 to P1.00 per kwh in the new contracted generation supply of Meralco. Thats 10’s of Billions a year in reduction in pass on generation charges to consumers.
Electric Consumers need this kind of industry knowledge, intellectual depth, and conviction to argue for reforms in the Senate floor, where consumers have not had a capable champion for at least 10 years. There has not been any Senatorial candidate like Ikot Petilla for a long time and electric consumers now have this rare opportunity to put someone in the Senate who is truly capable with proven industry knowledge, an innovative mind for solutions, and the resolve to push for what is for the best interest of the electric consumers. He even understands how the WESM spot market works and while have been working against the consumers.
This is our chance to have an effective voice in the Senate. Lets include Petilla in our Senatorial Votes. No. 41. If we don’t look after our consumer interest this election, who do we expect will?
Neri Colmenares, No. 11: A Public Interest Crusader who have Stood up for Electric Consumers
Remember when the Meralco consumers were about to be charged a horrendous additional P4.15 per kwh generation charge in January 2014? That’s a 90% jump in one month! Meralco had nonchalantly secured ERC approval and ERC incredulously approved it before Christmas of 2013!
It was only the timely and capable petition of Atty. Neri Colmenares and his Party-List Bayan Muna at the Supreme Court that stopped the whole conflagration that could have caused a major upheaval in the 25 million people Meralco area.
Neri successfully argued and secured a TRO and Meralco in evident attempt to save face, turned round and tried to blame the WESM and its power suppliers. It also led to the PEMC that manages the WESM market to move for investigation of the price spikes that reached P62 per kwh. Many power generators have been found to have engaged in illegal manipulation of the market. Coal plants mysteriously claimed downtime due to “boiler leaks”. (Those found guilty and charged penalties in the hundreds of millions in undue profits are predictably fighting them in courts, until probably the public forget the treasonous deeds!)
A lawyer, Neri had also consistently spoken for consumers on electric issues. He understands the dynamics and can be a valuable asset in the Senate for electric consumers.
Let’s Vote for Neri to the Senate. No. 11. Electric consumers need him!
MSK can only accomplish so much through the executive and regulatory departments. Sometime this year the battle will have to shift to the legislature, where all the loopholes emanate.
So whether you are for Grace, Mar, Duterte, Binay or even Miriam, Let us vote for Us ELECTRIC CONSUMERS by electing Petilla and Neri to the Senate!! We electric consumers need Petilla and Neri to protect us in the Senate.
Matuwid.org
