A consumers’ group said Monday attempts to rush the franchise renewal of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is raising suspicions over its ultimate objective, especially when electricity prices have been going up.
United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) said the bid to renew the Meralco franchise four years ahead of its expiry was ill-timed because customers are feeling the weight of increasing electricity rates as a result of increased demand last month.
UFCC president Rodolfo Javellana, Jr. said the ongoing push by a few lawmakers to renew the Meralco franchise four years ahead was clearly being done with haste and appeared to be setting the tone in Meralco’s favor.
“They are now conditioning the mindset of the public,” said Javellana, whose group has been advocating consumers’ right and has filed several cases before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) against Meralco for alleged overcharging.
He cited the declaration of Albay Rep. Joey Salceda that renewing the Meralco franchise was good for the economy as an example of mind conditioning.
“Congressman Salceda probably forgot that it is proper to ask first Meralco consumers if they are happy with the service provided by Meralco,” Javellana said.
Salceda, who authored House Bill No. 9793, is seeking a 25-year extension of Meralco’s franchise which would expire in 2028.
Javellana said proponents of the early renewal of the Meralco franchise appear bent on bypassing public consultations and participation in the process.
“It seems that they are not looking at a democratic consultation for the public for us to have a real voice and representation,” Javellana said.
“For the UFCC, it is important for consumers to have a say in the matter,” he added.
Javellana said that before working in advance to renew the Meralco franchise, lawmakers should first evaluate the utility’s performance against records available at the ERC.
“On the part of the ERC, did it conduct a so-called ‘thorough audit’ for Meralco’s performance?” Javellana said.
“When we say thorough audit, this will determine whether Meralco made excessive charges for its services,” he added.
He said that should there be proof of overcharging, calls to renew the Meralco franchise ahead of time should be junked immediately.
The franchise area should revert back to government control, he said.
“As long as oligarchs have control of power generation, transmission, and distribution, the government and all electric consumers in the country are hostage to their control,” the UFCC president said.
Javellana also scored some legislators for seemingly working for Meralco’s interests and acting as its spokespersons.
“I don’t know whether they are sucking up or trying to get into the good side of these giant corporations and I also don’t know whether the coming elections have something to do with this,” Javellana said.
“All I know is that it is the wrong tune to sing for the early renewal of the Meralco franchise,” he said.
Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga earlier said the filing of separate bills to renew the legislative franchise of the company by veteran and respected lawmakers “is a firm validation of the relentless efforts of Meralco to deliver power and serve millions of Filipinos.”
“Granting the franchise renewal would allow Meralco’s growing number of customers to continue enjoying stable and reliable electricity service, which is vital in powering not just households, but also industrial and commercial customers that drive the country’s economic progress,” he said.
“As a highly-regulated entity, Meralco has always been strictly compliant of the laws and regulations governing its franchise,” the Meralco spokesman added.