05:29 AM October 10, 2018
Members of a consumer rights
advocate group trooped to the office of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)
to protest high electricity rates of the Panay Electric Company (Peco).
The group said it was in solidarity
with Iloilo City consumers and their bid to have better power services.
The group supported a complaint
filed against an alleged 1,000 percent increase in rates despite consumers
suffering from frequent brownouts.
Hearing
Peco consumers filed a complaint at
the ERC in August. The ERC is set to hear the case this week.
An earlier petition by Peco
consumers was addressed to Congress.
Submitted to the House committee on
legislative franchises, the petition called on the House to reject the
franchise renewal of Peco, filed under House Bill 6023.
BenCy Ellorin, chair of Pinoy
Aksyon, asked the ERC to exercise its mandate as a regulatory agency by
investigating whether Peco deserved the franchise.
Among the reasons cited for
rejecting the franchise renewal were alleged overbilling, billing without
reading of electric meters, frequent power outages, poor consumer relations and
disrespect of the city council of Iloilo.
Since 1923
House Bill No. 6023, authored by
Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo, seeks to renew the franchise of Peco,
which has been operating in Iloilo City since 1923.
But in a resolution, the Iloilo City
Council said it “vehemently” opposed the franchise renewal.
Mikel Afzelius, Peco corporate
communications officer, denied the overpricing and insisted that it had
addressed consumer complaints. —Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
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