ERC hearing on PECOs PPA met with simultaneous protests
The Energy Regulatory Commissions second and final hearing on Panay Electric Companys application for amendment in its power purchase agreement with Mirant-Panay Power Corporation in Cebu City was met with protest actions by the Visayas chapters of the Freedom from Debt Coalition, namely: Cebu and Iloilo.
The hearing venue was at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines hall within the Provincial Capitol complex in Cebu City.
Lawyer Romeo Gerochi, FDC Iloilo's chairperson and Atty. Edeljulio Romero were the legal counsels for the oppositors representing the Ilonggo electricity consumers. Also present are Ted Aldwin Ong, deputy secretary-general and Melvin Purzuelo, coordinator of Green Forum-Western Visayas and convenor of the Responsiible Ilonggos for Sustainable Energy (RISE).
Ted Aldwin Ong underscored that "we attended the hearing together with FDC-Cebu not only to protest Pecos application but also to call for an end to power market monopoly."
"What is happening in Iloilo City is an abuse of market power by Peco and Mirant-PPC. This is a direct manifestation of governments privatization program of the power industry - stripping the consumers of protection from abuses of companies like Peco and Mirant-PPC," stressed Ong.
While the hearing was on-going, members of the FDC-Iloilo held protest action in front of Peco office in General Luna St. together with the signing of the Ilonggo consumers position paper against Peco and PPCs abuse of the market while a simultaneous protest action was also being held outside the hearing venue.
According to lawyer Romeo Gerochi, "we are calling the attention of the honorable Commission not to approve the amendment in the PPA of PECO and PPC. Approving its application is strengthening the anti-consumer provisions of their exiting PPA."
"Any effort to amend or approve its application is simply an anti-consumer move. We continue to appeal to the Commisioners of the ERC to uphold its earlier decisions favoring the Ilonggo consumers, concluded Gerochi.