Thousands join power off campaign vs high power rates

Sunstar Network
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

MANILA -- Thousands of households nationwide switched off lights and staged noise barrages on Tuesday night to demand lower electricity rates, the protest action’s organizer Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) said.

Ricardo Reyes, FDC national president, warned of more protests in the future if President Benigno Aquino III fails to intervene in the country’s high power rates.

Some of the areas that joined the power off campaign were Bulacan, Tacloban City in Leyte, cities of Cebu (Carcar, Talisay, Toledo, Lapu-lapu and Mandaue), Iloilo City, and Bacolod City.

Participating areas in Mindanao included Bukidnon, Iligan City in Lanao Del Sur, Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental, Pagadian City in Zamboanga Del Sur, Marbel and Tacurong in South Cotabato and Davao City, the FDC said.

Quoting a 2009 report of the International Energy Commission, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) had found that rates charged to industries at least in the Meralco franchise area in Metro Manila is at 13.2 US cents per kilowatt hour.

This rate put the country tied with United Kingdom at fourth place with highest rates.

Italy had the highest rates at 18.7 cents followed by Germany at 17 cents and Singapore at 13.8 cents. The Netherlands placed fifth in charging industrial rates at 12.3 US cents per kilowatt/hour.

Electricity rates in Japan and the United States were way below the Philippines. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)