BY BULATLAT

A party-list representative assailed the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and the Arroyo government’s Energy Regulatory Commission for the new round of power rate hikes.

Anakpawis party-list Representative Rafael Mariano described the move as ‘power tripping and the height of callousness’ in the face of the worsening economic turmoil.

The ERC approved the new distribution, supply and metering charges for Meralco. Mariano said the hike renders useless another ERC order directing the power distributor to refund P3.9 billion in overcharges. “It (refund) turned out to be a deceitful attempt to put icing on a bitter cake offered by Meralco,” said Mariano.

He further said that even without the increase in power rates, the Filipino people are suffering from the Arroyo government-tolerated ‘unjust pricing methods of Meralco,’ referring to the ‘multiple charging of the value-added tax, a tax on a tax (franchise tax), systems loss charges, and other ‘hidden’ charges.

“This shows how helpless Ms Arroyo is in a deregulated power industry, and callous in the face of the worsening economic turmoil,” said Mariano, co-author of House Bill 3010 or the proposed measure seeking to repeal Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

Mariano challenged the ERC to immediately withdraw the power rate hike order.(Bulatlat.com)

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