Rising power cost a generation issue

COSTLY IMAGE: Being the firm that directly bills electricity users, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is in the unenviable position of taking the brunt of consumers’ complaints against the rising cost of power.

On the main, Meralco is just a distributor — delivering electricity and passing on the high cost of generation (and inserting systems loss and its operating expenses) — but all the components of the total price as reflected in its bills are blamed on it.

This is a carryover of that era before Marcos martial rule when Meralco was a monopoly that was both power generator and distributor in Metro Manila and its extended franchise area.

Meralco is still widely seen as that same monopoly. So every spike in electricity costs as seen at the dreaded bottom line of its monthly bills is thrown back at it.

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NEW APPROACH: Now it looks like Meralco is changing strategy and repackaging its image among its residential and commercial customers.

It is reaching out to talk to customers directly, not through its lifeless monthly bills, but through a gentler approach in explaining pricing adjustments and other power-related information.

Meralco now broadcasts radio and TV news advisories, featuring Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga and customer retail services’ Maita David, who help project on the air a friendlier power distributor.

Joe and Maita provide customers a monthly update on all information about the power industry, rate adjustments and new products and service information, in an easy to understand manner.

Their 30-second to one-minute announcements are enriched with public service tips and other easily digested homespun “bright ideas” on how to save electricity.

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TALKING WITH CONSUMERS: We were told that this new approach is no shot in the dark.

Over the past months, Meralco has been conducting focus group discussions with customers, mostly soliciting opinions and ideas on what they think about the utility, and how they want their needs addressed.

A survey showed that an overwhelming majority of customers do not completely understand their bills, the pricing structures, and are largely clueless on how to manage their electricity consumption.

Most customers indicated their preferring Meralco to directly engage them in a friendly, easy-to-understand manner, to explain the components of their unbundled bills and the reasons for changes in monthly rates.

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RESPONSIBILITY: But the problem of continually rising power costs should not be addressed in isolation by Meralco. The firm just happens to be the one at the end of the long service line being the distributor directly dealing with consumers.

The rise in rates, as well as the problem of costly power interruptions, should have been addressed by the Aquino regime itself, not during the last election campaign but since three years ago when it took over.

However, since the Lopezes, among the key stockholders, have returned to generation, they must also explain the pricing and reliability of their power being distributed by Meralco.

Still, it is the prime responsibility of the administration, particularly the Department of Energy in tandem with the energy regulatory agency, to show the public it has the competence, and the will, to solve the problem.

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PWD-FRIENDLY: Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga has taken a giant step to becoming more accommodating in hiring persons with disabilities from communities around the former US base.

A memorandum of agreement was signed June 10 between Clark Development Corp. (CDC) and the Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA) to boost job opportunities and productivity of PWDs from neighboring towns.

The MoA was signed by CDC president Arthur P. Tugade and CILA president Rene Banzon while officers and members of PWD organizations in Angeles City and Mabalacat City stood witness.

The program launched is called “Persons with Disabilities Employment in Clark Program.” Sonny Lopez, CDC public relations head who initiated it, quoted Tugade as saying: “I am serious in putting this MoA into action. A MoA is just pieces of paper until we bring life into it.”

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CSR MOVES: Tugade said: “I am advising the physically challenged persons and those people around them to act normal. We are helping the physically challenged persons not because we pity them but we believe in their abilities.“

“We are being more aggressive in advancing CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) matters. For one thing, I have specifically pressed that provisions for hiring indigenous persons and PWD be included in agreements with new locators. So far some are very willing.”

“Gusto ko rin baguhin ang pananaw na hanggang utility services at pa-vendor-vendor na lang sila. We should give them meaningful jobs and preparations for better jobs.”

“Among other things, with the help of the MCAC LGUs we will prepare them so that they will be ready for the impending increase of job opportunities.”

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LOCATORS AGREE: From the locators, now numbering at least 650 and employing more than 71,000 workers, their president Rene Banzon said:

“We will immediately disseminate the details about this MoA to all locator-members. By the end of June, the implementation of this MoA will be thoroughly discussed in the CILA general membership assembly”

“We will encourage the locators to go the extra mile in hiring qualified physically challenged applicants and to have PWD-friendly facilities in their workplaces.”

“We are contemplating on a special kind of jobs fair where we can really give opportunities to the PWD in areas contiguous to the CFZ.”

Among those in the signing ceremony were: Joel Lagman, president, Federation of PWD in Angeles City; Alma Vital, OIC Persons with Disability, Integrated Program for Differently Abled Persons (IPDAP); Baby Carmelita Santos, PRO, Federation of PWD; Hilario “Bong” Diaz, president, Federation of PWD in Mabalacat City; Michael Miranda, head, PWD Affairs Office; Rowena dela Cruz, focal person PWD Mabalacat.

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