Borja wants to lower power rate for the benefit of oppressed, overburdened power consumers

By PHIL PA-ALAN

ILIGAN CITY – Congressional Candidate Jojo Borja of the Lone District of Iligan recently disclosed that the current power rate being charged by local power companies is over P9 per kilowatt hour and may increase to P18 per kilowatt hour in due time if remained unabated.  He said power companies are charging higher power rate more than they are supposed to charge power consumers.  He said the power consumers should be entitled to 50% of the overpriced power rate and must be returned to them as refund for over payment of power bills.

Congressional Candidate Borja said if we have lower power rate, more people will be encouraged to establish varied businesses that would create more jobs, and generate more income for the people.  He said if we have income, we may even provide free hospitalization for patients, especially the less fortunate ones because we have money.  He said many people are jobless because it is difficult to find jobs.  He said we should eliminate  over priced power rate to encourage businesses, create more jobs and generate more income for the people.  He said he would concentrate in keeping the power rate at an affordable and low level for the benefit of the people.

Borja, who is in the business of electricity, said corruption in government is rampant and he would fight corruption in government especially in the energy sector.

Borja said he wants to lower the power rate by shouting the truth.  He said the people may be deprived of the privilege to know the truth on the latest developments in the power area as the right to be informed is guaranteed by the Philippine Constitution. .  He said he can not do this alone as he needs the support of the people to strengthen his fight against higher power rates.  He said by supporting him as congressional candidate, a greater voice will be heard in Congress and in all four corners of the country once he sits as Congressman in the House of Representatives.

Borja said higher power rate creates nervousness and stress among the power consumers.  He said more people died of nervousness and stress than the number of people who died due to Typhoon Sendong.

Iligan City has the highest power rate throughout the country with P9.56 per kilowatt hour. Davao City, P7.50/kwh; General Santos City, 7.65/kwh; Cagayan de Oro City, 8.24/kwh; Pagadian, 7.90/kwh and Manila, over P8/kwh.

Borja said he could be of great help in reducing the power rate as he is fully armed with legal documents seeking a reasonable, affordable and lower power rate in Mindanao and elsewhere in the country.  He said  these documentary evidences prove that the power rate being charged the power consumers are overpriced and more than the price the power consumers are supposed to pay for their power bills.  He said he had been fighting for a just, reasonable and lower power rate for the past four (4) years travelling to Manila almost twice a week to follow up and  attend hearings at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) compound and spend his own personal money.  He said just recently he paid his legal counsel an amount of over half a million pesos (P691,000.00) to ensure that the interest of the power consumers are justly promoted and protected in the hearings.  He said he has spent millions of pesos in following up cases filed with the ERC against the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), which has bloated and overpriced its power rate.  He said Meralco has overpriced the purchase of its equipment and included items which should not be included in the computation of the power rate by kilowatt hour.  He said Meralco has charged power consumers more than double the amount they are supposed to pay.  He said he will continue the fight for a lower power rate for the benefit of the oppressed and overburdened power consumers.

Borja said he has filed fifteen (15) cases against Meralco before the ERC to bring justice to the struggles of power consumers.  He said his efforts are producing good results.  He said that we are about to reach the ‘finish line’ of our fight for justice.

Borja said the ERC has issued an order dated February 29, 2016 directing the Meralco to submit a report on its compliance to the ERC Order dated July 6, 2011, on or before March 31, 2016..  

ERC Order dated July 6, 2011 directs the Meralco to adhere to certain procedures for the asset inventory and true up adjustment of its Regulatory Asset Base (RAB), after the Commission approved Meralco’s Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) and Performance Incentive Scheme (PIS) for the Third Regulatory Period, in its Decision (with Final Determination) dated June 6, 2011.

Under Section 4.17.6 of the aforementioned Final Determination, the Commission indicated that the resolution is subject to review and true up mechanism that will be determined in the Fourth Regulatory Period.

ERC Case No. 2010-069 RC relates to the application of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for approval of the Annual Revenue Requirement ad Performance Incentive Scheme for the Third Regulatory Period (2011-2015) in accordance with the provisions of the rules for setting the distribution wheeling rates (RDWR) as amended.

The ERC Order was signed by JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR, Chairman and CEO of the Commission.