News
MERALCO takes a second stab
Yet another ailing Lopez family company is crying out for a bailout by the Arroyo regime. Recently, the Lopez family warned that there would be a widespread energy shortage should MERALCO not be allowed to increase electricity service rates. MERALCO is the Lopez family-controlled leading company providing electricity service.
The Lopezes want the government to remove the 40-centavo per kilowatt-hour ceiling on power purchased adjustment (PPA) charges, which constitute the principal source of MERALCO's profits.
The Lopezes also want the complete deregulation of electricity purchases by all electric companies from independent power producers (IPP). This is their response to strong criticisms of current arrangements where MERALCO buys energy from companies also owned by the Lopezes.
75-centavo additional fare, deceptive and divisive
Drivers and operators rejected as deceptive and divisive the Arroyo government's offer of a 75-centavo fare increase one day before protest actions set for March 30 and 31. A transport stoppage launched in many cities and towns nationwide paralyzed public transportation on these dates.
The Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) assailed the fare increase for being short of the P1.50 additional fare demanded, and for its applicability only on vehicles plying routes five kilometers and longer. Thus, many drivers plying shorter routes would not be able to avail of any additional fare. The strikers charged that its only purpose is to divide the ranks of drivers and operators.
Up to 80-95% of transportation was paralyzed in Baguio City, Angeles City, all of Bulacan, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), a number of towns and cities in Bicol and Western Visayas and in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay. In Mindanao, the strike lasted up to two days in all cities, except Zamboanga City.
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