SP probe shouldn’t be in aid of condemnation

By Alex P. Vidal

 

“The next time you experience a blackout, take some solace by looking at the sky. You will not recognize it.”—Nassim Nicholas Taleb

 

MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) might walk into an ambush site when they attend the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) committee investigation spearheaded by the Committee on Public Utilities chaired by Councilor Romel Duron on June 30, 2020.

The hearing has been called to shed light on the disturbing frequency of power interruptions experienced by Iloilo City residents these past weeks amid the pandemic lockdown.

The power consumers’ irritation and inconvenience apparently have already reached boiling point that five aldermen – Eduardo Peñaredondo, Ely Estante, Jay Trenas, Allan Zaldivar, and Duron – are now itching to mount their horses and confront MORE Power in the Rubicon.

During the SP regular session on June 23, Peñaredondo, et al started to warm up for the June 30 committee hearing by blasting MORE Power’s “frustrating” services, a telltale sign of the portent of things to come for the embattled MORE Power.

Despite the imminent entrapment, supporters of MORE Power are only hoping that the SP committee hearing will be done in aid of legislation, not in aid of condemnation.

 

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Peñaredondo himself admitted that “his heart trembled” in frustration aside from being “dismayed”, lamenting that the Ilonggo consumers don’t deserve a “lousy” performance as far as power is concerned.

The most senior SP member also recalled MORE Power’s promise to deliver a P1.8 billion modernization plan for their facilities which was reechoed by Estante who chided the new power distributor for not buying their own facilities.

Based on what transpired in the SP regular session on June 23, MORE Power has already been forewarned of the kind of artillery attack that awaits them on June 30.

What they don’t know is the type of ammunition their inquisitors will use during the firefight.

MORE Power is aware they will be grilled only for the deplorable blackouts that sometimes lasted for 13 hours especially during the weekend.

They will come only to justify the high tide and the low tide, not to own up to a tsunami.

They are aware they will have to always lean on the Department of Energy (DOE), which speaks their language concerning the problem’s technical aspect, for succor if push comes to shove.

Panay Electric company (PECO) will be as excited as the panel of inquisitors, but anything they will say that will bring further disdain and infamy to MORE Power will only be dismissed as a sour raping and wishful thinking since they are now “outside the kulambo,” so to speak.

 

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WE’RE glad to have made a decision to stay put in New York City during the pandemic lockdown since March.

Anyone coming to New York from a state currently hard hit by the virus would now have to quarantine for two weeks, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced June 24.

The restrictions were reportedly based on specific health metrics related to the coronavirus.

Travelers from eight states—as well as New Yorkers returning from those states—would have to quarantine, at the moment.

Cuomo said: “We now have to make sure that the rate continues to drop. A lot of people come into this region and they could literally bring the infection with them. It wouldn’t be malicious or malevolent, but it would still be real.”

Failure to quarantine in New York could reportedly result in thousand-dollar fines.

Travelers to New Jersey and Connecticut would also be told to quarantine, though officials from both states said there was no enforcement mechanism at the moment.

 

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor of two local dailies in Iloilo)