Clamor vs. mediocre electricity distribution utilities

IT’S a long weekend, one of two long weekends this month and many “Mega-Manilans” and urbanites all over the country are likely or are already out of town.

But there are also other electric cooperatives that need to reconsider other forms of delivery service to our people,” Lotilla said.

Now comes the PRA’s OIC who came up with the “literal” justification the projects constitute only some 5 percent of the entire Manila Bay which he says is all of 200,000 hectares, as if that 5 percent is in the middle of the bay from Bataan to Cavite, and not an eyesore that obstructs the everyman’s view of the bay and its fabled sunset, one of the free pleasures of living in this “brokedown” metropolis.

That’s trying to hoodwink us even more.

It will take many, many years before the developers will be able to construct the peripheral roads around the new islands where the common tao will be able to get a view of the sunset.

Meanwhile, that view will be confined to mountains of gray sand.

It should be interesting to find out when the individual projects were given their approval and notices to proceed by the PRA, and when the local governments concerned, whether Manila, Navotas, Pasay, Paranaque, Las Pinas, Bacoor, etc. gave approval to private developers on the basis of their municipal water jurisdictional authority, and thereafter apply with the PRA under the provisions of EO 74; and when the DENR, or whichever agency or instrumentality thereof, actually gave the ECC.

So, the local governments, whose view is always focused on more and greater real estate tax collections, on top of their share of the reclaimed land, went their merry way in approving reclamation proposals.

Then the PRA and the DENR gave their gosignal, almost all of the green lighting done in the last three or four years.

It is quite puzzling as well that as far as their website informs us, the PRA has no new chair and no new president, despite the fact that we are into the 14th month of the Marcos presidency.

In the early days of the new administration, people were already congratulating lawyer Ed Serapio who was rumored to be the Marcos appointee as chairman, and another lawyer, Jay Flaminiano, as the president of the PRA.

What happened?

Till now, it is Joseph Literal, an assistant

KHARKIV, Ukraine—Picking her way through charred ruins with a flashlight, Tetiana Bezatosna returned to her apartment after it was pummelled by Russian bombardment. The Ukrainian mother-of-two has little hope it will ever be rebuilt.

Her home in the northeastern city of Kharkiv is among hundreds of thousands of war-damaged civilian properties in Ukraine, with recovery at vast expense expected to take decades.

Fixing the colossal damage—unlike anything seen in Europe in decades—is further complicated by the non-stop bombardment of Ukrainian cities as Russia grinds through the second year of its invasion.

Highlighting what residents call the slow pace of recovery in Bezatosna’s Saltivka suburb—a hellscape of shell-pocked buildings and ravaged shops—jackhammers and cranes hovering over the damaged sites lie largely idle.

“We are not expected to return here soon,” Bezatosna, 44, told AFP as she walked up to her ninth-floor apartment.

“It’s very hard and painful to look at all this.”

Broken glass crunched under her shoes as she walked past scorched apartments, pointing her phone’s flashlight at the possessions

But some businessmen and even the renowned architect and urban planner Felino “Jun” Palafox have stated their fears that canceling the “approved” projects will have a negative effect on our investment climate.

It’s again a case of the sanctity of contracts and business unpredictability in our country.

That is the legal conundrum that government faces, because agencies under previous administrations, local and national, botched their responsibilities to safeguard our environment, and simply have no pride of place.

Now let us go to the “sunk costs” that the proponents will no longer be able to recover if their reclamation project is cancelled: One, if they have begun reclaiming, as SM, Ulticon, and Solar have, the first two in advanced stages, the losses would be quite big.

For those on the other hand who have yet to begin actual reclamation, the “sunk” cost will be the “padulas” or “pangiti” that they may have given to the officials who approved these, whether local government or the national agencies concerned.

Surely, these “pangiti” are way, way more than the value of a bunch of bananas, as in Binangonan.

To which many will simply say, “Beh, buti nga.”

On the other hand, given the world economic recession, especially in the target markets of the real estate speculators, which are China, South Korea and perhaps a sprinkling of other foreigners, there really might be very little profitability in their ventures.

Then what we will be left with are ugly unutilized and uninhabited islands of dirty gray sand which will waft into our nostrils whenever a strong wind blows eastward.

Sec. Yulo-Loyzaga, who is highly admired for being a no-nonsense official with a scientific mind, has now become the cynosure of public attention.

How she goes about identifying which are non-compliant, or at what point these projects are “much too much” such that they impact on the bay’s overall environment, the marine ecosystem, the livelihood of fishermen, and even the historic and cultural considerations in an uglified metropolis, will be keenly watched.

May the force be with her!

People will trek out for weekend trips to escape the congestion of the city which is good for our rising tourism industry which, according to Department of Tourism data, produced a combined domestic and international revenue of P1.78 trillion in 2022 and supports 5.2 million jobs. These long weekends are not just good for catching up on one’s work-life balance but great for the economy. Each time I do get a chance to go out for some rest and recreation, being a person used to 99.9 percent uninterrupted power, there is always that intermittent brownout that has become a spoiler.

For me it’s just an inconvenience, but for all businesses affected by a power outage, it’s a serious problem that impacts the viability of their operations.

In some provinces the situation has reached a crisis level.

Local government leaders are already making drastic moves against their distribution utilities (DUs) because their constituents and local industries have had enough of the low service quality, inefficiency, and high-power rates they have been suffering for years.

For instance, in April this year, the province of Occidental Mindoro was placed under a state of calamity because of their deteriorating electricity crisis.

They only had four hours of electricity in the off-peak hours.

That means practically no electricity during working hours. Apparently, this is also happening in other areas.

During the 54th anniversary celebration of the National Electrification Administration, DOE Secretary Popo Lotilla warned DUs to shape up “because at some point, if our people get tired of the quality of services that they receive, then they themselves will be the ones to clamor for change.” ten mayors to the House of Representatives and the Senate, FLECO has allegedly failed to mitigate the increasing electricity prices for its captive market, violating its mandate under the EPIRA to supply electricity in the least cost manner.

Sec. Lotilla said that electricity cooperatives need to improve, and those that are performing well should continue to inspire other coops to do better.

“As I have said, we will give you full support to the extent that you are able to deliver.

The local government leaders of Laguna and Batangas are now taking proactive action against their respective DUs to respond to their constituent’s demand to improve power services.

In Laguna, mayors from Cavinti, Famy, Kalayaan, Mabitac, Paete, Pagsanjan, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, and Sta. Maria formally appealed to the House of Representatives not to grant a new legislative franchise to First Laguna Electric Cooperative (FLECO). They said that the residents of their jurisdictions have been subjected to “unreasonably high” electricity rates and “poor services”.

‘We urge the lawmakers to reflect on the wider ramifications and prioritize the collective interests of the community over the electric cooperative’s own interests,” said Pakil Mayor Vincent Soriano in a public statement.

In Pampanga, six mayors sought the assistance of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in resolving the high power rates of Pampanga Electric Cooperative 3 (PELCO 3).

Even establishments are already taking legal action.

The Metropolitan Medical Center, Evercrest Golf Club Resort in Nasugbu, Gulod Resort, and Chateau Royale Sports & Country Club have gone to court against BATELEC 1 for poor electric services that have paralyzed their operations.

These waves of complaints reflect the deep economic repercussions for these areas with unstable and very expensive power services.

Reports said that frequent brown outs and voltage fluctuations in Nasugbu are damaging appliances and equipment of residences and business establishments.

Residents have collectively petitioned for their local officials to transfer electricity services to Meralco which services Metro-Manila, and some nearby provinces, like, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

“Nasugbu stands united, echoing the voice of over 22,000 signatures, demanding nothing short of excellence in electricity services.

Together, we urge a transition to Meralco, in our pursuit of quality power for our progressive community,” Mayor Barcelon had said.

According to the petition signed by the

Ukraine’s dilemma: Rebuilding in midst of war

residents had left behind—abandoned books, mold-covered kitchenware, Lego toys.

On one floor, a makeshift column propped up the staircase where the concrete had been riddled with holes.

‘It’s dangerous’

Bezatosna fled Saltivka, a once-thriving Kharkiv suburb with hundreds of thousands of people, after it bore the brunt of Russia’s initial assault when the invasion started in February 2022.

Her family returned when much of Kharkiv region was liberated last September.

Forced to rent another place, they plucked whatever they could salvage from their apartment, including a half-burnt washing machine and a bathtub.

A sign hung at the entrance of the building read: “Do not enter, it’s dangerous.”

Displaced residents, who put up the sign mainly to ward off burglars, were torn between two difficult options.

Some are desperate to move back despite the hazardous conditions and urged the government to make urgent repairs. Others, including Bezatosna, are demanding that the unstable building be torn down and a new one built in the same place.

“Ukraine must start rebuilding during the war to support its home front,” Orysia Lut- sevych, deputy director for the Russia and Eurasia programme at the London-based Chatham House, told AFP.

“Despite daily missile strikes Ukrainians are not leaving the country in large numbers.

To remain in Ukraine they need housing and jobs.”

Along with homes, the war has also obliterated thousands of schools, hospitals and factories along with critical energy facilities, granaries and seaports.

Ballooning costs

Earlier this year, the World Bank said the cost of Ukraine’s reconstruction over a decade would be $411 billion—2.6 times its GDP in 2022.

As the war inflicts new losses with each passing month, billions are added to the estimate. At a conference in London in June, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said the overall cost of reconstruction “will grow”.

Ukraine, whose war-battered economy shrank last year, desperately needs funds just to make emergency repairs. Long-term reconstruction aid hinges on how much money allies including the United States and European Union are willing to put up.

The country is seeking to entice private investment, with post-war reconstruction expected to turn Ukraine into what observers have called the world’s largest construction site.

Companies from around the world are expected to attend the second “Rebuild Ukraine” trade exhibition in Poland in November.

“The recovery of Ukraine becomes the largest economic project in Europe of our time,” President Volodymyr Zelensky is quoted as saying on its website.

This situation will hinder the economic potential for power challenged provinces to develop their tourism and other local industries.

The initiative of these LGU leaders to transfer to better service providers should be supported by the DOE and ERC as this is a problem affecting many areas in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

A stable power supply with rational service rates is essential for attracting the development of tourism and manufacturing investors.

These jurisdictions with expensive and unreliable electricity service will miss out on the country’s accelerating momentum of economic growth if they don’t change their mediocre service providers.

In Kharkiv, close to the border with Russia, Mayor Igor Terekhov told AFP the war had left around 150,000 people homeless with about 5,000 buildings damaged. Around 500 multi-story buildings among them are so badly wrecked that they cannot be restored. He put the estimated cost of reconstruction at $9.5 billion, calling the figure “very approximate”.

No corner is safe

To wait until the end of war to rebuild is not acceptable, he said, adding that “citizens need to go back to their homes.”

But many fear Russian air raids, which they believe are aimed at making their cities uninhabitable and hampering already scant reconstruction efforts.

“I don’t know how you can rebuild” amid the ongoing war, said Bezatosna.

In Saltivka, residents have returned to apartment blocks that were spared the ravages of war, but no corner is safe due to random strikes.

Bezatosna said she had renovated her apartment just a month before it got smashed. Her friend in Kharkiv, she said, had managed to repair her war-damaged house but it got knocked down by another strike.

“So tell me, what’s the point of rebuilding?” she said. AFP