Could Cadiao deal with Semirara?

By Herbert Vego

ANTIQUE Governor Rhodora Cadiao appeared to have “scored” when she asked the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to probe the Antique Electric Cooperative (Anteco) for imposing the highest power rate in the region at P16.17 per kilowatt hour (kWh).

Compare that to MORE Power and ILECO 1 in Iloilo which have also upped prices but lower at P12.48 and P13.46 per kWh, respectively.

The governor’s “why”, however, is no longer relevant. The Anteco management has stated it’s because of higher rates imposed by its power generators, namely Panay Energy Development Corporation (PEDC) and GN Power Mariveles.

All power plants pass the buck to its coal sources.

While coal is still the “cheapest” fuel they could rely on, its cost in the world market has jumped from US $60 to $405 per metric ton, indicating a 575% increase. Naturally, coal pricing in the Philippines follows the same profitability.

In a past column, I wondered why Semirara Mining and Power Corp., which operates the open-pit coal mine in Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique, could not be “patriotic” by slashing its prices in the local market.

As the highest public official in Antique, could the governor not prevail upon Semirara to cut prices in the local market? It would hardly make a dent on its global productivity.

After all, the company accounts for 92% of the country’s coal production, according to the Department of Energy. Strangely, the lion’s share of Semirara coal is exported to China.

Pray tell me why the Philippines has also to import coal from Indonesia and Australia.

Based on its own report as published in the August 4, 2022 issue of the Daily Inquirer, Semirara’s gross income soared to P25.8 billion in the first quarter because of higher coal prices traced to the Russia-Ukraine war. Of that amount, according to chief operating officer Maria Cristina Gotianum, its net income stood at P15 billion.

Since it is tubong lugaw, why not share some of the lugaw to Filipino customers?

-oOo-

BBM TROLLS WRONG ON KA PERCY

IN a past column, I hinted that the murder of journalist Percy Lapid could have been triggered by his warning against “factionalism” within the “uniteam” of Pres. BBM and VP Sara. I based that assumption on what he had said in the September 29, 2022 episode of his “Lapid Fire” radio/video program:

“Mag-ingat ka, Bongbong Marcos. Hindi mo ba nakikita?  Nagpapakita na ng mga kulay ng balat nila ang mga taong ito!”

Percy said that some trolls identified with VP Sara had been trying to malign BBM over his decision to deport 48,782 Chinese nationals connected with the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO). That must have sounded offensive to the Dutertes.

Remember that these POGOs — linked to murders, kidnappings, and other criminal activities — had entered the country by bribing immigration officials in exchange for Philippine visas during the Rodrigo Duterte era.

The malicious twist now being peddled by BBM’s trolls and vloggers is that the late journo had shifted loyalty to BBM. A vlog by one of them replays a small portion of Percy’s commentary”: “Kung aagawin din lang ang puesto, kay Marcos ako.”  

In other words, if he had to choose one BBM and Sara, he would prefer BBM.

Had the vlogger replayed the full broadcast, he could have shown that Percy was warning against an emerging power rivalry.

Had he not been silenced, Percy Lapid could have substantiated his claim.

-oOo-

PUTIN IN HIS LAST DAYS IN POWER

The film clips of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, now in its eight-month, shame the scenes seen in war movies.  The actual exchanges of missile attacks between the invader and the defender have yielded thousands of bodies, whether of soldiers or civilians, sprawling either dead or dying.  Hitherto majestic buildings have turned into piles of rubble.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin had erred in hoping to annex Ukraine through a “short war” by moderate means.  On the contrary, he is failing despite his “unlimited” logistics.

My take is that President Vladimir Putin would have to surrender or die fighting. He has lost the support of his constituents, millions of whom have already fled to other countries.  While he had subdued other neighbors like Crimea, Donetsk and Luhansk in the past eight years, probably because of his obsession to rebuild the Soviet Union, Ukraine is proving itself tougher.

On the other hand, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enjoys the support not only of his well-equipped soldiers and civilians but also of powerful nations, notably the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and all members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as of many other independent nations that used to comprise the Soviet Union.

The isolated Putin’s threat of unleashing nuclear weapons should not be taken seriously. He knows that, Ukraine being just a stone’s throw away, nuclear fallout could kill the Russians, including himself.