EDGAR ABANIL BLOG

Several months has passed since I wrote about the infernal power shortage in Mindanao. And yet, until this very day, the rotating brownout seems to be the "in" thing. Issues like "bill deposits" hidden charges, higher electricity cost per kilowatt hour, etc. we still have to cope with the reality: Higher electricity without the corresponding excellent service. Higher electricity cost should result to stable supply of electricity and not the other way around. Experts say the Philippines has a very high electricity cost among the Southeast Asian countries. Well, our neighboring countries are well-off economically and we are not. Bottom line is, we must cope with lack of resources, even if the consumers were made to shoulder the cost of the electricity providers' loans, line losses, infrastructure improvement and all sort of excuses to justify revenue generation. We will always be dependent on electricity to sustain our daily living. We need electricity to light

President Aquino, in his speech during the Mindanao Power Summit in Davao City, stated that we should pay more in order to have a good supply of electricity. He is indirectly saying that power rate hike is inevitable. Despite the cheap source of electricity, the hyrdo plants in Iligan and Bukidnon are already aging so their production capacity diminished over the long run. I hope after the talk, steps will be made to really address the problem, whether we have to pay "a little more" or mot pay at all. Mr. President, after the talk, roll up sleeves, please.