MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Jan. 30, 2013) – The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) along with other labor and consumer groups denounced the Prepaid Retail Electricity Service (PRES) of Manila Electric Company as anti-worker, anti-poor, and anti-consumer.
“Prepaid electricity scheme is brutally inhuman and defeat the government’s mandate to give her citizens access to electricity. It further marginalizes the poor and it deprives the people of electricity simply because they have no money. Not only that, it does not solve the excessive current rate of electricity because this scheme simply pass on the entire burden to helpless consumer, the Filipino workers and will make Meralco and other other distribution utilities rake in more profits for themselves,” Gerard Seno, TUCP General-Secretary, said in a statement to the Mindanao Examiner.
He said the prepaid electricity scheme which is now being pilot tested in some households is a violation of the basic human right to live decently.
“Ayon sa provision ng Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers, ang isang consumer ay may due process such as promissory note bago magputol ng supply ng kuryente. Dito sa prepaid scheme, 3 araw ka lang na hindi magbayad, automatic na putol ang kuryente mo,” Seno said.
TUCP is part of the group called “Pipol Power”, an alliance of labor organizations and consumer groups launched three weeks ago to stand up to rising cost of energy and prices of electricity.
Other members of the alliance are the labor coalition NAGKAISA!, Lanao Power Consumer Federation, Mindanao Business Council, Mindanao commission on Women, All Pinoy Volunteers, Empower Consumer, Kampanya Para sa Makataong Pamumuhay.
“This innovation in the power industry is ridiculous. Consider a sick parent at home as the load runs out or the dilemma of a student studying for an exam and her Saudi-based father has not yet sent the
money to for the load,” Luis Corral, co-convenor of Pipol Power, said.
The group earlier urged President Benigno Aquino to declare and moratorium on any increase in electricity rates and create a presidential task force on power to conduct a comprehensive review of all issues surrounding the increase in electricity rates including the policies, structures, mechanisms governing the power industry.
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