FDC, ICAW launches 'Oplan Dikit Kuntador'

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC-Iloilo) and the Ilonggo Consumers Advocacy and Welfare (ICAW) launched “Oplan Dikit Kuntador” demanding that Panay Electric Company (PECO) issue a meter reading card to its consumers upon meter reading. 

“The issue of whether a monthly meter reading is regularly implemented by PECO or not has been a long standing concern of electricity consumers,” underscored Lawyer Romeo P. Gerochi, chairperson of FDC-Iloilo. 

Gerochi further explained, “that consumers renewed its interest on this issue with the alarming increase in PECO's generaration charge from P6.90 per kilowatthour in the previous month to more than P7.00 per kilowatthour this June which eventually resulted to high electricity rates.“

In a press conference held at the Workers Development Center in Brgy. Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo City, yesterday, the groups bared that electricity consumers have been calling their office to air their grievances against PECO's operations. 

“We have been calling the office of PECO on this matter but nobody seem interested to accommodate our complaints. This prompted us to ask for the assistance of groups like FDC and ICAW,” said Analyn Ame of the Central Area Neighborhood Association. An urban poor association based in Bolilao, Mandurriao.

“We have learned that electricity consumers all over the city have the same concern on this particular operations of PECO. This is an issue of transparency. It is the right of consumers to pay only for the true amount of electricity they consumed for the month. This is the reason that consumers' groups launched the campaign “Oplan Dikit Kuntador,” added Ted Aldwin Ong, FDC-Iloilo deputy secretary-general and coordinator of ICAW.

“By putting a sticker sign in their individual meter and the issuance of a meter reading card, consumers are assured that a regular meter reading is undertaken and their monthly consumption as reflected in their electric bills are accurate,” emphasized Ong.

The groups presented that a meter reading card must have the following information: 1) date of meter reading. 2) present consumption, and 3) name of PECO's meter reader,  and must be signed received by the consumer concerned.    

“We, the consumers, have the right to demand for a regular and accurate meter reading and the issuance of a meter reading card for we are paying a metering charge for this purpose. “ Gina pa “pakyaw” ini sang PECO ang pag meter reading,” stressed Gerochi.

The ‘Oplan Dikit Kuntador' will be a massive stickering campaign all over the city from June 27 – 30, 2005 or beyond, calling for PECO to stop its anti-consumer practices. This is a start-off campaign that will highlight on June 30 the scheduled National Day of Protest against poverty and globalization.