IT’S A lazy Sunday morning here in Puerto Princesa. That’s because there’s no power again from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon. We’re all getting frustrated about this and we wonder when it’s going to end. We just don’t wonder. We’re actually hopeless.
Who wouldn’t be hopeless with a power service like this? Always blackout in the morning, and longer blackouts during the weekend. Sad to say, we’re getting the same answers to our inquiries over and over again.
Last week, the Provincial Board called the Palawan Electric Cooperative to its Question Hour. We got excited because we thought, finally, the province is getting down to the bottom of the problem. It was the biggest disappointment because all the board members focused on is the PALECO being a cooperative under the Cooperative Development Authority. If the subject matter of incompetent power service was touched, the emphasis that was given by Vice Governor David A. Ponce de Leon and the board members wasn’t larger than a needle’s eye.
Where do we go from there? The thread can’t even get through the hole by which it was discussed. What’s happening? No interest?
Complaints about inefficient power service here are mounting. Businesses are losing profits, home appliances are getting destroyed. Announced or unannounced blackouts, they’re all the same for the residents of the city and several municipalities that PALECO is servicing all over Palawan.
The PALECO said it shouldn’t be blamed for what’s happening. Who else should the people who pay their electric bills regularly blame? As far as they’re concerned, it’s the PALECO that should be answerable to them. In the first place, it’s the electric cooperative that’s in charge of dealing with the National Power Corporation and the other power producers.
What’s so painful about this is the fact that the PALECO seems powerless too. It cannot deal with Napocor and these power producers whose services are really so bad as to be impossible to forgive.
Among other electric cooperatives in the country, 2nd Palawan District Rep. Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra said the PALECO is the one that collects the highest power rate. And for what, this kind of negligent service?
When are the leaders in Puerto Princesa and Palawan really paying attention to this? We’re going to lose investments if this is not provided a solution soon. Even the idea of a congressional inquiry in October or November is no longer palatable. It’s still so long.
The problem needs immediate action now, not later. What’s really causing this? What? What? What?! When are they going to tackle it seriously, when it’s just a few months before election come 2010? That’s baloney!
September 17, 2008 at 1:29 am
Amidst all the crisis in Puerto’s power situation, there is still a glimpse of hope if ever oncerned people will put their acts together. First, the many projections/studies done before about power demand and supply isssues must be reevaluated, updated and urgently executed by sincere, committed and qualified people. System improvement, infusion of new and younger talents (not the jurassic and stubborn people who turned the supposedly productive feasibility studies into ipis-ibility chismis). Second, the overhaul of the vision, management structure and re-education/updating of the stakeholders resposibilities of Paleco. Third, system upgrade of the facilities of Napocor and private power providers. Fourth, synergy of all sectors in the Energy industry. Based on performance and evaluation/investigation, those who have contributed to the present scenario must be sued and penalized. Concerned consumers must file a class suit against the power players for negligence resulting to damages to their properties.