MABALACAT CITY– Folk in Barangay Lakandula here smell something fishy in their electric bills from the Pampanga Electric Cooperative 2 (Pelco 2)
After their electric meters were moved to common locations on posts over a year ago, their electric rates went up, and the reading of their meters seemed to have stabilized at about a certain cost, regardless of their power usage.
No one, however, has so far dared to formally air any complaint for fear that Pelco 2’s meter readers would take vengeance and jack up their bills further. The consumers in the barangay, however, have been regularly comparing notes on their questionable billing.
“It is possible that some meter readers are in complicity with informal settlers who tap electricity illegally and pay
the meter readers a fixed sum on regular bases. At the same time, the readers see to it that no losses become too noticeable by making sure that legitimate consumers are charged at higher rates,” one resident said.
Another resident said that her bill jacked up to about P5,000 monthly since the electric meters were moved to electric posts shared in common by other meters. “Since then, my monthly billing has always been in the area of that amount, even during a period when almost no one was at home most of the time,” she said.
Yet another consumer also related that despite having no refrigerator for a month after it was damaged, his bill remained more or less the same. Punto’s request for interview was ignored twice by Pelco 2-Mabalacat branch manager Connie Muli.
Last June, the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and its local partner ComsTech took over the management and operations of Pelco 2 which supplies electricity to Mabalacat City and five towns. “We are pumping some P1.2 billion for the takeover of Pelco 2 whose debt amounts to as much,” said Dennis Uy, president and chief executive officer of Angeles City-based ComsTech.
With an offer of P1.2 billion, Meralco and ComsTech won the bidding for the investment and management contract of Pelco 2 as authorized by the National Electrifi cation Administration (NEA). The contract would last 20 years, Uy said.
“Pelco 2 will still own the cooperative, but Meralco and ComsTech now manages and operates it under the investment and management contract,” Uy said. The contract also provides that Meralco and ComsTech will assume responsibility for the electric cooperative’s liabilities, he added.
Apart from this city with a population of about 300,000, Pelco 2 also distributes power to the towns of Guagua, Bacolor, Sta. Rita, Lubao, and Porac. A survey conducted among its consumers indicated widespread dissatisfaction with its electric service, amid allegations of questionable bills.
“Among the things we plan to do is to adopt a system to make sure that those who read electric meters really do, and not merely guess,” Uy said. Uy gave assurance on the availability of retirement funds for long-time Pelco 2 workers who have long wanted to retire but could not do so because of lack of funds.
He said Pelco 2’s workforce is bloated with 500 personnel, despite estimates it could work efficiently with only 150.
“All those who will have to go should, however, (they will) be given the proper benefits,” he said.
