Protests vs high electricity rates staged

Electric consumers and cause-oriented groups stormed on Tuesday several branches of power distribution firm Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) in Metro Manila and nearby cities to protest against the soaring prices of electricity.

Members of the urban poor group Metro Manila Vendors Alliance (MMVA) and Piglas Kababaihan also served 15 Meralco branches with “notices of disconnection” for the company’s supposed failure to provide clean, safe and affordable electricity.

Cheaper, cleaner power

“We no longer know where to source payments for our power bills,” said Mila Uga-Uga of MMVA.

“We are already gravely suffering from the soaring prices of goods, yet our remaining income as small traders gets slashed by the high cost of electricity,” she added.

Simultaneous protests were staged in front of Meralco branches in Kamuning, Roosevelt and Commonwealth in Quezon City; España in Manila; Pasig City; Cainta in Rizal; Parañaque City; Masinag and Antipolo City; Caloocan City; Dasmariñas, Naic and General Mariano Alvarez in Cavite; San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan and Calamba City in Laguna.

Mercy Donor of Piglas Kababaihan said the government should tap cheaper and cleaner power sources.

“We know that there are other sources of clean power,” she said.