March 1, 2019 | Filed under: Editorial
Opinion| Posted by: Tempo Desk
ZAMBOANGA City’s power consumers
have begun to complain against the worsening power outages which, strangely enough,
are not due to inadequate power supply but to an impasse in a payment dispute
between the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) and the power
generator Western Mindanao Power Co. (WMPC).
Zamboanga’s problem comes at a time
when most of Mindanao is moving ahead, benefitting from economic policies and
programs of the Duterte administration. Local economic officials are bullish
that the entire region is fast moving forward, with higher infrastructure
spending under “Build, Build, Build.” Hopes and expectations are high for
better road networks, greater economic activity, more jobs, and lower prices of
goods.
But in Zamboanga City
itself, the residents and business enterprises have begun to complain of longer
and more frequent power outages. It is all because the electric cooperative and
the power producer are at odds on the payment of a debt estimated at P350
million as of January 18, 2019.
The power generating
firm, WMPC, said it has been forced to cut down its operations since February 4
as it had run out of fuel, due to alleged nonpayment by the cooperative of its
debt. The latter, now managed by Crown Investment Holdings, Inc., in turn,
alleged over-billing by the power firm. It questioned a payment arrangement
which had been working in the last three years.
It may take years
before the appropriate government agency or court can decide on the legal basis
for the action of withholding payment to WMPC. In the meantime, the people of
Zamboanga City suffer. I will become worse next month when the city’s sardine
canneries resume their operations after their regular three-month break. The
cooperative is reported considering palliative measure like bringing in
emergency generator sets, but this will cost Zamboangueños more because of the
high cost of diesel fuel.
Many power shortages in
the past in various parts of the country arose from inadequate supply. This is
not the problem in Zamboanga City. It appears to be more the result of
disagreement over payment for a long outstanding debt. For the sake of the
people of Zamboanga City and in the light of the overall development now
pushing Mindanao forward, we hope the disagreement will be quickly settled and
the problem solved.
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