Meralco--the new definition of Greed

INQUIRER WRITES IN ITS OPINION PAGE TODAY:

WHAT CAN ONE SAY WHEN A REGULATED public utility, after earning a huge profit, comes around a few days later asking for an increase in its rates? This was precisely what Meralco did on June 18, 2009 when it went to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to seek approval for its “annual revenue requirement and performance incentive scheme” which would have the effect of raising its distribution, supply and metering charges at least once every year from 2012 up to 2015. Three weeks earlier, it had proudly announced it earned P2 billion in profits during the first quarter of this year, or 135 percent more than its profits for the same period last year. Very few firms in the Philippines can boast of such earnings in three months, or even in a year. And it smacks of greed that the petition comes on the heels of two successive increases (granted in May 2009 and May 2010) as well as another increase next year.

ANSWERS:

1. UNBRIDLED GREED. I don't care if Manny V. Pangilinan now heads this public utility nor that the Lopezes retained their chairmanship. The fact simply is---PURE GREED. We now have the highest electricity rates in Asia. I know that MVP wants to always be Number One. But, please, don't make us the No. 1 in terms of the highest electricity rates in the world. That's sickening.

2. KAKAPALAN NG MUKHA. I really don't care if Manny V. Pangilinan and his PLDT cut my Internet services after this but I can't simply allow such things to happen. You already got 2 billion pesos in profit, what else do you want to do? Double it at the expense of the public? That's plain and simple, callousness.

3. SOUL-LESS CAPITALISM AT ITS BEST. I simply don't care that Manny V. Pangilinan and his bosses over at Kuala Lumpur wants my head delivered on a silver plate but this is pure and simple wagging tongue capitalism. The salivation is simply too much to bear. Meralco is salivating for the few pesos we earn every month. What do you call that but the acts of a fiendish capitalist.

And I simply don't care if Manny V. Pangilinan led this "Ako Mismo" campaign nor supported President Benigno Aquino III or whoever he supported during the last elections. The fact simply is, MVP, for me, means Malaysian Valet is a Pilipino. Too much kowtowing with his Malaysian principals, too little care for the Filipino. But, as they say, its all business, nothing personal.

Well, if that's the case, then, let's militate and push these greedy people out of our country fast. It can be done. It will definitely be bloody but hell! Better to have them out here than them frying us with our own body fat....for the next six years!

And I simply don't care if Noynoy Aquino nor the incoming administration have a former Lopez or a former Ayala executive at the helm of the energy and public works department. A just cause simply is worth sacrificing one's life.

A Singson to head DPWH and a politico now at DBM: Lopez proxy in energy department?

The appointment of a former campaign manager as Budget Management secretary is understandable. Butch Abad, the Liberal party campaign manager, is a former politician. He will head the DBM, the agency tasked specifically on disbursements of government funds. And you know what will definitely happen next?

Expect those local executives who supported Noynoy Aquino to get what they want. Expect other local executives who jumped ship to be pampered with pork barrel funds. And expect those who are intending to follow suit to get the same. As the saying goes, politics is a rewarding enterprise.

With a former politico as the DBM head, what will then happen to the anti-poverty program of the government? What will be prioritized first? Will the Aquino administration limit debt servicing in exchange for increasing the budgets of needy agencies such as DECS and others? Or will they put greater emphasis on giving those meaty pork to those who rah-rah with them last elections?

Another one, a certain Rogelio Singson, president of Maynilad waterworks system, is being eyed to head the public works department. Nothing wrong, except that he's a very close relative of Ilocos governor Chavit Singson, who happens to be very close to the previous dispensation AND a certified big time operator here in the Philippines.

A Singson to head DPWH? We all know what happens inside that old building along North Bay boulevard. DPWH, according to Transparency Network, is one of the most graft-ridden agencies in the Republik.

While Singson heads the Maynilad, look at our water rates--they are higher than water rates in the entire ASEAN region. Imagine, a country rich in water resources selling water to its citizens at a price they can't ill-afford!

Probably, Singson is good in numbers. If he prices cents per cubic meter of water, he can very well price ten pesos for every cubic inch of asphalt. Or even higher. How then can we sleep well at night knowing that our money is being treated like water?

Jose Almendras, another water executive, is being asked to head the energy department. Are Singson and Almendras now the Lopez company proxies in the Aquino administration? Probably yes.

We all know that the Lopezes' have a stake in the energy generation department, a direct competitor of close Arroyo associates, the Aboitiz.

Is the new administration now saying err assuring the Lopezes, very close political allies of the Aquinos, that what they lost in Meralco, they will now regain by putting their man at the helm of the energy department?

Hmmm....at this early, what we are seeing are danger signs ahead. Imagine, two critical government agencies--public works and energy---in the hands of proxies of the Lopezes. Are we now saying, Mr. President that all is game in the name of politics?

Its like saying, go after big-time rice smugglers yet spare those who are responsible for jacking up our water and electricity rates.

Wow. Talk about "new administration", this one is showing signs of being old.

Meralco is safe...for now.

The obvious question everybody is asking now is--until when will PLDT's Manny Pangilinan be able to fend off San Miguel's ambitious yet dastardly plan for Meralco? PLDT got a tiny advantage with 30% compared with 27% now currently held by SMC.

Talks abound that SMC has marshalled its allies and they're buying into Meralco. With the Lopezes finding an ally in the person of Pangilinan, Meralco is safe....for now.

Why is it so crucial for SMC to acquire Meralco? Aside from the obvious, Meralco is a key component in SMC's strategic monopoly plan. With its entry into the telecomms business and energy sector, Meralco actually completes the SMC plan of finally dominating Philippine business. Ang's idea of providing cheaper broadband services through electric powerlines jibes with PLDT's. Meralco is crucial because if SMC acquires it, PLDT's gargantuan domination in the telecomms business is threatened.

With PLDT's entry into Lopez territory, it now grew its share in the telecomms business with a possible acquisition also of Bayantel. Bayantel is a Lopez owned company which has successfully eaten up PLDT's market in the wireless landline services and even in broadband. With the Pangilinan-Lopez alliance, PLDT would be able to whittle Bayantel down to miniscule size in no time.

Or, quite possibly, Bayantel will be positioned to assist PLDT in thwarting the plans of SMC to dominate the telecomms sector with its new Qatar-Liberty Telecommunications. PLDT needs all the help it could marshall against this big competitor.

Yet, the question now is this---where's the Ayalas in all of these? Ayala controls Globe and its also into energy, which is another sector that SMC already dipped its hands on. Ayala and the Lopezes were beneficiaries of EDSA; while the Cojuangcos, well, they just were able to resurrect themselves after staying too long with the Marcoses.

The Ayalas are known allies of Pangilinan and indirectly, the Lopezes. Will it remain in the sidelines like what the Chinoy taipans are doing? Or will they also engage SMC in a battle by aligning themselves with the Pangilinan-Lopez? Such titanic battles, as history shows, always spill over to change the political configurations.

Will this battle stay in the boardrooms or will we see it spillover into the political arena as well? Remember that prior to EDSA dos, the same situation was present.

Creeping Fascism

First, that attempt to take over Meralco (which on second thought, seems okey to me now. I know. I opposed it before. But, because of this electricity rate hike this coming month, it would be best for everyone for government to manage Meralco. I;ve had enough of Meralco and the Lopezes already). Then, the outbreak of war in Mindanao. And now this.

IN Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales' interview, he charged that ABS-CBN 2 violated the Code of Ethics and its franchise with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) when it released an interview of MILF Commander Bravo. Bravo is wanted by the law. The Philippine Army and the PNP are out there in Mindanao, trying to arrest the elusive commander.

My good friend, George Carino (who's a brilliant journalist and hails from Bulacan) traced the whereabouts of Bravo and interviewed him. I saw his interview. And I found nothing wrong. I would agree with my professor, Luis Teodoro, that ABS-CBN 2 violated no law.

Jun Nicdao of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) also found nothing wrong with the interview. As a former journalist myself, I saw nothing that would merit a sanction against ABS-CBN.

What instigated IN Justice secretary Raul Gonzales?

Gonzales said that ABS-CBN violated its franchise when it gave air space to a known fugitive. He said that Bravo used ABS-CBN to "instigate" fellow Muslims to "foment violence or the use of arms".

Where? Where in the interview did Bravo actually tell his fellow Muslims that they need to raise up arms against the government? I never saw nor heard anything similar to what (in)Justice secretary Gonzales referred to as "instigations"? Am I dreaming or Mr. Gonzales is just hallucinating?

Gonzales' acts are plain and simple muscle flexing. Government is trying to frighten one of the biggest media networks in the land for one goal--neutralize or marginalize media outlets. Why? Is government laying the ground for martial rule? My mother told me that this is the same tactic employed by the dictator Marcos a year or two before he implemented martial rule. History shows that media was the first one neutralized, second were civil society and people's organisations, and lastly, progressive middle class groups.

Are we in the midst of martial rule?

People should protest against Meralco NOW!

I REALLY CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE LOGIC OF MERALCO. Crude oil price is now at the US$ 60 plus per barrel. Everywhere, companies, especially oil firms, have been lowering their retail prices. Now, what justifies a MERALCO ELECTRICITY RATE HIKE? Pang-inis ba ke Gloria?

It's time for everyone to stand up against this cocky electricity distribution firm. Among Asian countries, the Philippines has the highest electricity rates. This is too much already. The Lopezes should be stopped right this minute! Me utang pa nga kayo sa aming mga consumers na P 3billion plus and you're supposed to give it back to us.

Gloria should fire those at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for giving in to the pressure of the Lopezes to hike rates. This is too much!!!

This government, if it has any use to us, should do something to stop Meralco from imposing additional rates to us consumers. If Gloria and her minions remain inutile, we might as well, oust all of them and jail all of them, including the Board of Directors of Meralco.

Mga inutil! Can't you understand that Filipinos are suffering due to high electricity rates? If you're receiving a monthly take-home pay of 15,000 pesos, about 4-5,000 goes only to Meralco. And you're left with 10,000, yes? What is 10,000 pesos nowadays, with higher food prices and rent. 

Pinapatay tayong unti-unti ng Meralco at ng gobyernong ito na inutil sa kalagayan ng taumbayan.

GSIS winning fight against Meralco

Cheap Tricks

Yesterday, Gloria signed the Cheaper Medicines bill. It aims to bring down the costs of medicine. Senator Mar Roxas was there. He witnessed the signing of his pet bill. After that, he was interviewed, along with Gloria, and said that the bill will help Filipinos buy cheaper priced medicines.

Question to Mr. Roxas--how diluted is this approved version? I mean, Gloria thumbed down the "generics only" provisions of this bill. Now, based on your assessment, will this affect the prices of medicine? In the next few weeks or months, we will see if this bill will indeed, bring down the costs of medicines.

Two days ago, the DSWD and Meralco started giving 500 peso dole-outs to lifeline users of electricity. Question---how long will government give cash subsidies to the poor? Reports say its only for the month of May. Succeeding months, consumers will have to bear the brunt of high electricity rates. It's okey, says the apologists. At least, government extended some help to ease the burden. After this month, what then?

Gloria also ordered the Department of Energy to extend a 5-peso diesel subsidy to jeepney drivers and operators. Energy secretary Angelo Reyes says this is all there is to it. While Reyes was saying this, prices of gasoline and diesel shoot up to 1.50 pesos per liter. Diesel prices are now close to 50 while gasoline prices are nearing the 60 peso mark. Reyes can't do anything? And he says that he's a former Chief of Staff? What a wimp!

Question---why is Gloria's gang not touching Petron, Caltex and Shell? I mean, now is the time for government to intervene, but they are not? Marcos did regulate these oil companies before. Why can't we regulate them now?

The truth---oil companies probably give billions worth of lobby funds to silence government opposition. That's the only reason I see at this point.

Lastly, Gloria's gang are targeting telecommunications companies to lower text and call rates. That's commendable, to say the least. However, there's a catch--government will still continue getting VAT-related costs from them. So, the costs will still be considerable for the Filipino consumer.

Anyway, I had enough of this. Let us allow government to do its thing with all these cosmetic and palliative solutions and let's just see what will happen next.

There's one thing that is very evident in all these--government did not do its job properly during the last eight years of its administration.

Joma's Prognosis of the 2010 Elections

Joma Sison's insights continue to amaze political pundits in this country. Despite being away for so long in exile, Joma's statements still packs a punch. Recently, the former CPP Chairman's statements were published. This is about his own views on the "presidentiables". He says that the man to watch is Defense Secretary Teodoro.

I wrote in Filipinovoices.com that Teodoro is really Gloria's closest ace for the elections. I heard from one of the closest advisers of the devil infant that she's grooming Teodoro to replace her. This is a stark contrast to some views that Noli's the "anointed one". I don't believe it for a second. Noli remains popular in perception; yet the prospect of him winning the top plum is, I think, more speculative than anything.

However, I am quite surprised why our last remaining credible Marxist-Leninist-Mao Tsetung resident head seems too engrossed on elections. If I remember my Marxism, elections are to be frown upon is'nt? Was that statement an indirect admission by the CPP top leadership that they're abandoning the oust gloria before 2010 movement and instead, looking forward to 2010? If that is the direction, then, quite possibly, does this mean that the CPP head honcho is more concerned now with the survival of the party's representatives in Congress than push thru with the protracted people's war?

That's the problem with the current CPP leadership--it's wishy-washy. It does not have the strong backbone we, the people, expect it to have. I expect Joma to lambast Gloria's government for its continued oppression of the people. I expect Joma etal to convince the public to participate in the continuing struggle rather than set their sights on the 2010 elections. Is the party going the pacifist route? Has the looong struggle already mellowed the leadership, numbing their ideological selves and turning them into veritable compromisers?

This is another problem--the "protractiveness" of this people's war. When is it going to ascend the next stage--from strategic stalemate to strategic victory? Are we going to wait another 40 years before this revolutionary victory becomes reality? Are these stages just products of Joma's fertile imagination or these are reality-based analytics going haywire?

I have been analyzing what happened to Bayan Muna and Anakpawis and why did they suddenly went into silent mode with the Meralco issue. The last statement I heard was a praise for the Arroyo administration for granting a measly 10 pesos wage hike. What the..? Are we being inconsistent here?

A Day of Criminal Frenzy

After the riotous "tea party" over at Meralco a day after, three successive criminal events happened. Yesterday, a terrorist attack killed 2 people and injured scores of others in Zamboanga City. As of presstime, police are still investigating who masterminded this dastardly crime. Whoever it was, surely, this attack showed that the Bangsamoro rebellion is now assuming a different and critical level, reminiscent of the 2000 war. It could be an attack to pressure government to return to the peace table. Or, it could be part of JI training of new recruits. Whatever the cause, this has serious implications both in national and regional security.

A love-torn hostage taker killed one of his hostages yesterday at Lubao Pampanga. A certain "Rey" reportedly held a Genesis bus bound to Cubao at gunpoint and held its passengers hostage after his wife left him. After releasing most of his victims, police crack teams pounced on him, killing him.

Another notorious criminal was killed yesterday by members of the newly formed RCBC Task Force. A certain Montano was gunned down while allegedly buying grocery over at Camp Aguinaldo, an AFP camp. Police claimed that Montano was part of the gang who mowed 11 people down and took more than 20 million pesos worth of loot.

Were all these incidents related? To an untrained eye, no. Except for the first incident, the two other incidents are aberrations. However, note that these violent incidents happened two days after the riot in Meralco. Were these incidents a sociological reaction to a perceived chaotic situation? What prompted Rey to ran amuck and become a hostage-taker? What's the relevance of May 29 in the criminal mind of the terrorist who blew up those people in Zamboanga? And why was Montano killed by police yesterday? Was it chance encounter? Or a setup?

Probably, they are all unrelated. Expect criminal incidents to increase in the next few weeks, an anticipated social reaction to the perceived chaotic and depressing socio-economic-political landscape.

The Meralco Gambit

Let's set aside our partisan thoughts about the Lopezes and pause for a while and think about the repercussions of today's Meralco stockholder's meeting.

True enough, as what we wrote in the Filipinovoices.com, Garcia's ploy of using proxies backfired. The Lopezes mustered more than the number of proxies that Garcia was able to generate. Realizing this a day earlier, Garcia filed a complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). It was, however, too late in the game. Garcia was distracted by numerous media inquiries that he failed to do his assignment.

Those scenes we saw on TV Patrol and over at ANC shows you graphically how government interference could backfire and lead to a real mess. That scene showing Garcia standing up and shouting at all those stockholders show you how a member of Gloria's mafia gang thinks about himself as an overlord of this country.

Surely, the ruckus created by the government in a private entreprise such as Meralco could dampen investor confidence in the independence and integrity of the local business community. Those scenes of confusion, of chaos, and of disorder shows one how messy a situation would become if government interferes in a legitimate business operation. True, the Lopezes could be profitting more than it can legally chew. True, the Lopezes could be mismanaging Meralco and charging us exorbitant fees. And true, the Lopezes could be entering into those sweetheart deals that impacts on the rates they're charging us.

Yet, the cost of dislodging this aristocrat from their crown jewel is more expensive than its intended result. The intended result is a lowered electricity rate, right? But, if done in an expensive gambit like this could do more harm than good. Imagine these scenes being repeated in other countries' television, what would foreign investors think about us? How many billions of dollars' worth of investment did we lose? How many billions more did we lose in tourism? Quite considerable if I may be asked.

Government's continued harassment and intimidation tactics against the Lopezes set a very dangerous precedent. It shows how this government is slowly turning into a rapacious corporate raider and destroyer of enterprise. It shows that government is using the people's money for corporate raids which will not in any way, benefit the suffering Filipino People.

This gambit of Gloria backfired. First, it showed how powerful the Lopezes are compared with the Garcias, the Aboitizes, the Alcantaras, and the Arroyos of this land. Second, it showed how teethless the SEC is. And third, it shows how inept and foolish government becomes when the people allow it to continually perpetuate its proto-dictatorial powers especially on businesses.

I hate to say it, but this gambit of Garcia could further erode the people's confidence and could be used to justify extra-constitutional means to dislodge this evil regime from the face of the Motherland.

Business and civil society should unite and show Gloria the true source of power. Let everyone unite behind the movement for change and throw this evil regime out. Then, after throwing them out and exiling them to China, then, let's resume this fight against the Lopezes. By then, the entire nation would probably rally behind us.

Double Talk Amidst Societal Chaos

Peace double talk

Former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon is now Gloria's chief peace negotiator, a few days after his retirement. I don't know what came over Gloria but why did she retain Esperon? His tenure as AFP C-S is quite turbulent. Was he retained solely for his knack at creating destabilization or for his prowess in electioneering? Probably both.

Esperon's appointment speaks volumes on the true peace plan of GMA. Esperon is the least person to be given the powers to talk peace on behalf of government. Everyone knows his true nature--that of a lapdog. He's largely credited for plunging this country into total chaos because of the caper he did in Mindanao during the 2004 elections.

Power play

Amado Doronilla says nothing will come out of Malacanang's power play against the Lopezes. Over at ABS-CBN, the Lopezes are still defiant, vowing to survive this latest onslaught while sending their president to tomorrow's Cabinet meeting over at Panglao Island in Bohol. Will there be a blood compact in the name of big bucks there? Or will these two camps lunge at each other's throats 7 days from now? Knowing how haughty the Lopezes are, chances are they will not bulge against the Arroyos. Or would they?

Callousness

The Arroyo administration admitted meeting the ZTE officials over at Shenzhen. For meeting Arroyos, the gods punished the Chinese with a devastating earthquake, killing more than 20,000 people. Even abroad, Gloria is creating chaos.

Transport Groups double talked

Lastly, transport groups raised a howl after the DOTC withdrew an order from the LTFRB to raise transport fees. This is double talk, says these groups and threatened the government of another transport holiday. Well, I hope they do it this time. Otherwise, will just laugh at them.

Aboitiz and Garcia to benefit from Meralco takeover

Friends and colleague read this: http://tongueinanew.blogspot.com/2008/05/meralco-vs-mafia.html. It hits the nail in the head and reveals a ton of stuff about this government attempt to break Meralco.

As we wrote here, there's really an insidious plan to takeover Meralco, not to lower these electricity rates. No. What government wants is to give this firm to the Aboitiz and the Garcias of Cebu, staunch allies of Madame devil infant, Gloria.

As what a reader commented on Tongueinanew's blog, this is the highest tongpats ever!

Imagine something like this, bigger than the water concessionaire bidding a few years back.

This is probably the reason why there's a multi-million propaganda funds being brandied about by propagandists of Garcia and the Aboitizes. It's a miniscule amount compared to the billions they'll earn from breaking up Meralco.

WE SHOULD STOP GOVERNMENT FROM DOING THIS. YES, BREAK THE HOLD OF THE LOPEZES, BUT GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO SELL THE FRANCHISES AND MERALCO NOW! IT SHOULD BE DONE AFTER THE MAY 2010 ELECTIONS, NOT NOW!