Arroyo son joins calls for Meralco to open books, sets probe
By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:01:00 05/07/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s son has joined calls for Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to open its books to the public, accusing the Lopezes of trying to “cover-up” the real issue by injecting politics into it.
“If looking into their contracts, looking at their transactions is a process in which we can bring down the prices of electricity, then I believe that this is the right thing to do for our people,” Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo told reporters at the House of Representatives.
His statement came shortly after the House committee on energy, which he heads, agreed to conduct its own hearing on how to bring down the cost of electricity in the country.
“Even though the Senate will hold its investigation, we can do our own exercise here. Maybe we should not call it investigation, we just call it another hearing,” Congressman Arroyo said, responding to a query by Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casiño.
On Casino’s motion, the committee also agreed to invite representatives from Meralco, the state-owned National Power Corporation, Energy Regulatory Commission, and other resource persons who could provide information on how Congress could lower power rates.
After the meeting, the President’s son answered reporters’ questions about the alleged plan by the government to take over Meralco through the Government Service Insurance System to pressure the Lopezes, who have been perceived to be critical of the administration.
The Lopezes also own television network ABS-CBN.
“Well, they can harp on whatever spin they want. The bottom line is malaki ang singil nila sa kuryente [they charge too much for electricity] and they are looking for so many issues na takpan yan [to cover that]. Ang importante mataas ang singil nila, mataas ang singil ng kuryente sa bayan [What is important is they charge high, they charge the people high for electricity]. People are crying [out] and we need to do something,” he said.
“Whatever they say, kesyo ito ay pulitika, ito ay vendetta, [whether it’s politics, vendetta] the thing is mataas ang singil ng kuryente [they charge high for electricity] and we need to know how to bring down the prices of electricity,” he said.
“Now, saying that this is politics, that is, ano lang yan, panakip butas lang yan [that’s only being used as a cover-up],” the lawmaker added.
He would not say, however, if there was a need to change the composition of Meralco so long as its management would be “consumer friendly.”
“For me, it’s not important who runs the management of Meralco. What is important is that the management is consumer friendly, the management has heart, that they bring back what they have earned to the people,” he said.
“We need a friendlier management to our people. Now, if this management would be friendlier to our people, then so be it. It’s ok with me…I don’t care who cooks the food basta masarap [as long as it’s delicious],” he pointed out.
Asked if he thought that the present management was consumer friendly considering the high power rates, Congressman Arroyo said, “That’s why we will investigate. We will see, we will examine their contracts.”
Meanwhile, Quezon Representative Danilo Suarez is surprised as to why opposition members were defending the private power firm, whose high rates has made the lives of many people more difficult.
"To defend Meralco, whose high rates are making life doubly hard for our people, runs against the grain of many of my colleagues' avowed stance in the past," Suarez said in a statement.
"Thus, I am puzzled why they have dropped their populist positions all of a sudden to defend Meralco by mouthing its line that the government is out to wrest control of the company," he said.
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