13-Mayor puzzled over sudden power improvement
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MANAOAG, Pangasinan, Jan. 10 (PNA)--Puzzled over the sudden
improvement of electric power in his town, Mayor Pedrito Garcia has
sought clarification as to what electric company is now operating in
Manaoag and part of Laoac town.
This was Garcia's reaction to summonses received by municipal
officials and a number of the townspeople from the Energy Regulatory
Board (ERB) for them to appear during the hearing Thursday of a petition
of the Manaoag Utility Company, Inc. for increased electric rate.
Garcia was in a quandary because Andresito Capati, area manager of
Dagupan Electric Corporation, already made a courtesy call on him to
officially inform him that his company is now in charge of servicing the
whole of Manaoag and 11 barangays of Laoac.
In fact, it was Decorp which brought back the electricity using its
own power from adjacent San Jacinto town, when the National Power
Corporation again disconnected the power line last January 3 for failure
of MUCI to pay its arrears in power bills for November in the amount of
2.4 million pesos.
Capati told newsmen that when Manaoag and half of Laoac were
blanketted with blackout anew, that was the time his company decided to
move in and effect a long understanding between Decorp and MUCI for the
latter to sell its franchise to the former.
Mayor Garcia said in his courtesy call, Capati informed him that
Decorp has already assumed the obligations of MUCI with Napocor which is
expected to balloon to 8.2 million pesos this month.
But in a talk later with with Ralp Mangonon, president of MUCI, the
latter told the opposite--that his company has not yet sold its
franchise to Decorp.
A clarification is needed on this matter, he said, because the
officials and the townspeople are confused.
However, the mayor noted that electricity in Manaoag and half of
Laoag is continuing, indicating that Decorp may now be actually in firm
control of the situation.
"If this is true, then Manaoag Utility has no more personality to
ask for an increase in electric rates," Garcia said, referring to the
petition filed by MUCI with the ERB.
Garcia said he, members of the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice
Mayor Napoleon Sales, and other interested parties are set to oppose the
petition for rate increase, especially after learning that MUCI no
longer servicing their town.
The mayor opined that if Decorp indeed took over the job of
servicing electricity in Manaoag and half of Laoac from MUCI, then the
latter company has no more business seeking to increase electric
rates.(PNA) JV/wpt/lvm/APE
PNA 01101000