Semirara, where are you?

By Herbert Vego

IN two previous columns, this corner expressed dismay over the inattention of Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) to the prohibitive cost of power in the province of Antique. Why was the Antique Electric Cooperative (Anteco) charging the highest power bill in Western Visayas at P16.17 per kilowatt-hour (kWh)?

Anteco blamed the sudden increase in the world-market price of coal from US $60 to $400 per metric ton in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.  These warring countries are the top producers of coal.

You see, SMPC enjoys the sole privilege of coal mining in Semirara Island, an island barangay in Caluya, Antique. The company’s nine-month average in selling Semirara coal had rallied by 122 percent from P2,351 to P5,224/metric ton.

So, why could the company not even absorb a portion of the Anteco bill in the name of corporate social responsibility?

And why not sell cheaper coal to the local coal-fired power plants at lesser cost?

Despite the devastation wrought by typhoon Paeng to its host Antique province  – which had reported five deaths – the 42-year-old Semirara Mining and Power Corporation (SMPC) has not issued any press release on that matter.

Instead, what it fed to the newspapers was its “exceptional performance” in money-making. Based on the company’s stock report, its consolidated net income during the first three quarters of the year 2022 had surged by 250 percent to P36 billion from P16.2 billion in the same period last year.

The papers quoted SMPC president Maria Cristina Gotianun saying, “Historically, the third quarter is our slowest because of the rainy season and sluggish demand. But because of improved market prices, we did much better than expected,”

That reminds us of the oft-quoted advice, “Moderate your greed.”

We have yet to hear from Sen. Loren Legarda, Rep. AA Legarda and Gov. Rhodora Cadiao comment on that “performance”.

Incidentally, way back in July 2015, it was Senator Loren Legarda who called for a Senate probe of the collapse of a Semirara open pit, which resulted in the death of nine miners. She reminded her colleagues that it was a repetition of an earlier landslide in February 2013 which killed five miners.

In both tragedies, SMPC promised to compensate the families of the victims a sum of one million pesos each, plus free education up to college for their children.

Oh, how “generous”!

Isn’t now the best time to be more generous?

-oOo-

MORE CUSTOMERS GET MORE POWER

THE winsome lady executive of MORE Power, Assistant Vice-President Ma. Cecilia “Maricel” C. Pe, revealed to us on the radio program “Reklamo Publiko” (Aksyon Radyo, Sunday, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.) that in two and a half years of service to Iloilo City residents, the company had gained 25,000 new customers. In other words, from 62,000, their number has grown to almost 90,000 despite the price adjustment.

“Our customers understand,” she explained, “that it’s not because we want the price increase that our rates have increased; it’s because of the higher cost of coal in the world market. Around 60% of the charges in the bill goes to power generation.  MORE Power does not get a single additional centavo.”

She recalled that no less than the company president, Roel Z. Castro, had explained to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Iloilo City the efforts he had made to prioritize service over profit.

“When we took over the power distribution from the previous franchisee,” she echoed Castro’s report to the SP, “the rates ranged from P10 to P12 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Part of the problem was the heavy system’s loss due to pilferage. So, we found ways and means to apprehend pilferers.

“In July 2021, we brought the residential rate down to P6.46. Thanks to a favorable 12-month contract with the PSALM geothermal power plant. We enjoyed a two-month extension until August this year.”

Pe also explained the other uniquely-named programs aimed at endearing MORE Power to customers. Let’s summarize.

MORE Konek means mobilizing a team of employees to the barangays, where they personally approach individuals with no legal connections yet to sign a service-application form. They are made to understand their liability in the event they are caught pilfering electricity.

Because of a memorandum of understanding with the city government, it is now possible for the informal settlers to get connected by accomplishing only four requirements — an electrical safety inspection report obtainable from the City Engineer’s Office, a government i-sued ID, a barangay certificate of residency and an oath of undertaking.

The MORE Update program is aimed at asking customers acquired from the previous distribution utility to update their information sheet to include the name, complete home address, e-mail address and telephone numbers. In the event the named customer is deceased, the succeeding user should assume that responsibility.

MORE Kolek enables customers to pay their bills as they prefer. Aside from the main payment center of MORE Power at Hotel del Rio, there are now 19 banks and non-bank payment centers at their service. It is also possible to pay online, including via GCash.

Bills may also be sent to customers’ e-mail address or through their cell-phone accounts. The billed customers are given a grace period of three days from due date to pay. Once disconnected, however, they may automatically be reconnected within 24 hours upon settlement of the overdue amount.

Ms Pe stressed the importance of paying on time because, once disconnected, customers acquired from the previous utility would be asked to pay a bill deposit on top of the amount due before getting reconnected. The deposit should reflect the monthly average during a12-month period