Thursday, May 22, 2008

ERC Holds Public Hearing

by Ambrosio R. Villorente
To complete the process and arrive at a decision on ERC Case No. 200-013, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) held a public hearing on Thursday and Friday, May 15 and 16, 2008 respectively. The venue was in Akelco, Lezo, Aklan.
This ERC Case No. 200 – 013 is about Akelco’s Application for Approval of Over all Tariff Adjustment”. If this application is approved without any alteration, not including power generation, the power rate increases will be: 1. P0.72 per Kwh for residential consumers; 2. P0.13 per Kwh for small commercial consumers; 3. P0.85 per Kwh for public buildings; 4. P0.95 per Kwh for large commercial; and 5. P4.40 per Kwh for street lights. There is no rate reduction.
The two days public hearing was presided by ERC Commissioner Rauf A. Tan, a man from Jolo, Sulu. Akelco is represented by Atty. Paul P. Sagayo, Jr.. of the Dechavez, Bugayong, Concepcion, and Sagayo Law Offices. His office is in Ortega Center, Pasig City.
According to Akelco management, sufficient information was released regarding the said scheduled public hearing. They were published in both local (not in Madyaas Pen) and national newspapers. Notices were posted in all conspicuous places of the 17 towns of Aklan, and in Pandan and Libertad, Antique.
However, only a handful of Akelco consumers were present during the said hearing. Akelco employees outnumbered the member –consumers during the Thursday afternoon hearing. Majority of those who attended came from Kalibo like Benny Laserna, Hon. Greg Malapad, Hon. Lilian Q. Tirol, Hon. Ronce Reyes, Hon. Ramon Gelito, Hon. Rodson Mayor. Harvey Reloj, Ramil Dala, Franco Baldomero, George Calaor and Franklin Quimpo were also present.
Mayor was disqualified on the second day of the hearing as entervenor for coming late and his failure to sign their manifestation.
The first day hearing was devoted to the presentation of evidences for jurisdiction. Com. Tan identified any oppositor, but most of them identified themselves entervenors. Because of the number of entervenors, Com. Tan recognized two (2) who will act as spokesmen and to cross examine witnesses. Atty. Romeo Inocencio and Hon. Rodson Mayor were accepted spokesmen. However, the following day, Mayor was disqualified. Com. Tan threatened Mayor, he might file contempt of court charge. Mayor was asked to go out of the session hall by Com. Tan.
After the presentation of documents, Tan concluded Akelco as applicant has complied with all jurisdictional requirements. Tan directed Akelco to furnish two sets of the 54 documents to the entervenors to study overnight and be ready for the evidentiary hearing the following day at 9:00 o’clock in the morning. Tan also directed Atty. Inocencio to submit some documents required.
After the presentation, Tan allowed the audience to ask some clarificatory questions limited only on what were presented. Tan also asked the audience to give their observation on the Akelco services. That paved the way for the series of negative comments on the Akelco services from the audience. He never heard positive comments on Akelco services from the people present. /MP

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