DOE turning a blind eye to power cartel—Bayan Muna lawmaker

Rep. Carlos Zarate. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate accused the Department of Energy, on Wednesday, of turning a blind eye to the power cartel, which he said, has been controlling the price of electricity.

Worst, Zarate said, has been the subservience of the DOE to the supposed cartel.

“I am disappointed with the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) because it has become a mere rubber stamp of Meralco and power producers instead of defending the rights of consumers,” he said.

Zarate said that instead of immediately stopping the power rate hike, the DOE has condoned it.

In supporting his statement, Zarate said “even if there are already indications that there is an apparent cartelization in the electric power sector, no serious effort has been done by the DOE to break it and end the sufferings of our overburdened consumers.”

Another proof, he said, has been the DOE’s lack of alternatives when power generators broke down or went into maintenance mode.

“The DOE is equally appalling because it has no functional energy plan until now,” he said.

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