ILOILO CITY — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution urging the Committee on Legislative Franchises of the House of Representatives to hold its public hearing on the renewal of franchise by the Panay Electric Company (PECO) in this city.
PECO is the sole distributor of electricity in Iloilo City. Its franchise will expire in 2019.
The council cited that “for convenience and protection of consumers’ interests” as reason for asking that the consultation be held in this city.
During the regular session of the SP, the council was furnished a letter of Rep. Franz E. Alvarez, chair of the Committee on Legislative Franchises in Congress, asking for a legal opinion/position paper regarding PECO’s application.
Pending before the committee of Alvarez is House Bill No. 6023, or an “Act Renewing the Franchise of the Panay Electric Company, Inc, granted under Republic Act 5360 and extended by the National Electrification Commission to establish, operate and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to end users in the City of Iloilo.”
Councilor Joshua Alim said that the public consultation would be an opportunity for consumers of this city “to air their grievances against the abuses and arrogance of PECO on overbilling, billing without reading, inefficient services, unannounced power outages to name a few.”
Alim added that he was in possession of voluminous documents containing complaints of consumers that he would submit before the committee.
Councilor Leone R. Gerochi added that he did not expect that the “application for franchise would be filed this early.”
“I agree that there will be a hearing here,” Gerochi said adding that they have to “collaborate their efforts so they have one voice.”
The council also asked Alvarez to furnish them a copy of the PECO application to study the document. (Perla Lena/PNA)
