‘Grave injustice to Oponganons’

CEBU, Philippines —  Lapu-Lapu City officials believe it would be a grave injustice to the consumers to be paying higher power rate because of the apparent negligence of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and its contractor resulting in the damage to the transmission lines.

The city officials are meeting today, February 13, with the concern agencies to enlighten them on behalf of their constituents on the looming power rate hike.

Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Representative Cindi King-Chan said that it would be a grave injustice on the part of the city residents, who will be paying a higher power rate when in fact it is the fault of the contractor of the Department of Public Works and Highways-7, who caused the damage of the Transmission Line 2 of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.

NGCP Transmission Line 1 and Line 2 are the only cables that connect the Mactan Electric Company (MECO) from the mainland.

MECO, the sole power distributor in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova, has announced that they will increase the power rate beginning March 2023 as a result of such damage and several other factors.

MECO had said that they will be forced to raise its power rate which ranges from P2.40 per kilowatt hour to P4.00 per kilowatt hour by March of this year as an effect of a cut-off of the main transmission line cable due to diggings at the crossroads of Ouano Avenue and UN Avenue in Mandaue City.

The Freeman tried to contact MECO general manager Gilbert Pagobo for comments that the congresswoman as well as Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan are against of such increase.

The congresswoman said that it is very unfortunate that due to this incident, the city power consumers will have to suffer and bear the cost of its repair by way of increasing the rate.

“It is not fair for the public to bear the cost of something they did not cause," the legislator said, adding she will hear all sides especially from the DPWH first before taking any drastic actions like calling for a congressional inquiry.

Mayor Chan said that he is in quandary as to why the consumers will be the one paying for the fault of the DPWH’s contractor.

Chan said it should be the contractor who should pay for the cost of the repair of the damaged transmission line and not to pass it on to the consumers.

Pagobo also warned that comes the summer season, power demand will increase and that if the transmission line 2 remains unrepaired, this will result to rotational brownouts.

Chan said that these rotational brownouts will surely affect the operation of hotels, resorts and other livelihood that mainly relies on power.

“Apektohan na gani ila panginabuhian, mas dako pa gyud sila bayrunon sa kuryente. Unya dili pa gyud nila sala, di na mahimo. Di ko mosugot ana,” the mayor added.

On the other hand, the Visayan Electric has managed to transfer its load of about 100mw from both NGCP Transmission Line 1 and 2 in order not to overload the system with Line 2 still out. Line 1 and 2 has a total capacity of 360mw but only 180mw is currently operational.

VECO opted to transfer its 100mw to their substation in Mandaue City and despite of this transfer, no power rate is seen to be implemented among its consumers, says Quennie Bronce, VECO head, Reputation and Enhancement Department.

Since the January 21, 2023 incident, the day that the underground transmission line was damaged, there is no statement yet from the NGCP as when they are going to repair the damaged cable.

The DPWH-7, through its assistant regional director Danilo Villa Jr., when sought for comments on this incident said, “We are currently looking at the matter and carrying out measures to prevent a recurrence of the same incident”. — GMR (FREEMAN)