MANILA, Philippines - A newly-formed coalition against the privatization of the power sector on Monday said the energy crisis may spill over into Luzon and Visayas regions.
The Laban ng Mamamayan Para sa Katotohanan at Katarungan (Lampara) supported claims that the current power shortage in Mindanao is merely artificial or "man-made."
"Their actions are clear proof that these oligarchs are socially irresponsible, politically unaccountable, and financially acquisitive. They are scaremongering and manipulating the country's power industry to again drive the hapless Filipino consumers and workers no choice but dig deeper into their pockets to pay for their increasing electric bill," the group said in a manifesto.
The coalition, which today signed the manifesto, consists of groups including Napocor Employees Consolidated Unions, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, Kilusang Banat, Philippine Airlines Employees Association, TUCP partylist, Partido Manggagawa, National Confederation of Labor, Buklurang Manggagawang Pilipino, and the Earth Savers Movement.
Lampara alleged that only seven families - -the Pangilinans, the Sys, the Lopezes, the Aboitizes, the Alcantaras, the Abayas, and the Cojuangcos -- have complete control of the power generation, transmission, distribution, and supply of the electricity in the country.
"Lampara calls on President Aquino to exercise his presidential prerogative quickly," the group said.
The group also recommended that the the government shelve its plan to sell four power barges and relocate three to Mindanao to stabilize the electric power cost in the region.
"The remaining four barges that are still under the management of the NPC (National Power Corp.) can supply cheaper ancillary power supply in Mindanao," Lampara said.
"The long term solutions for the power crisis in Mindanao, in our view, rest in the comprehensive review and amendment of the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act)," the coalition added.
No comments:
Post a Comment