"Always render more and better service than is expected of you, no matter what your task may be."
--Og Mandino
By Alex P. Vidal
NEW YORK CITY -- The Iloilo City Council in the Philippines led by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon will go down in history as the bravest and the most audacious of all the past city councils.
When they passed a resolution during their regular session on November 14 “vehemently opposing the renewal of Panay Electric Company’s (PECO) franchise”, members of the Iloilo City Council made history and defied tremendous odds.
Their bold move restored the Ilonggo consumers' faith and confidence on our city officials.
It largely helped assuage frazzled emotions of tormented consumers wallowing in distress brought by PECO's appalling services and nonchalance.
It may be recalled that their counterparts in 1993, or 25 years ago, led by Vice Mayor Guillermo dela Llana, endorsed PECO's application for a 25-year extension after a series of public hearings in the old Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) building.
When they passed a resolution during their regular session on November 14 “vehemently opposing the renewal of Panay Electric Company’s (PECO) franchise”, members of the Iloilo City Council made history and defied tremendous odds.
Their bold move restored the Ilonggo consumers' faith and confidence on our city officials.
It largely helped assuage frazzled emotions of tormented consumers wallowing in distress brought by PECO's appalling services and nonchalance.
It may be recalled that their counterparts in 1993, or 25 years ago, led by Vice Mayor Guillermo dela Llana, endorsed PECO's application for a 25-year extension after a series of public hearings in the old Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) building.
SECURE
The "joy ride" in the local legislature enabled PECO to smoothly secure the extension of its franchise in the House of Representatives thereafter.
Interestingly, Councilor Eduardo Penaredondo, the only alderman who did not support the resolution penned by Councilor Joshua Alim on November 14, was part of the 1993 City Council that handed PECO the grand prize.
PECO, the sole power distributor in Iloilo City's more than 50,000 consumers, must've underestimated the City Council after it secured the November 22, 2017 date for the hearing of its application for franchise extension before the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises.
PECO's franchise will expire in 2019.
Because of the City Council's recalcitrance, PECO is now expected to have a rough ride when the hearing in the House of Representatives unfolds on November 22. It's like going to war bringing only high powered machine guns but without bullets.
We don't believe that Alim, Councilor R Leone Gerochi and their ilk are motivated by "political ambitions" when they spearheaded the titanic war versus the giant electric firm.
Interestingly, Councilor Eduardo Penaredondo, the only alderman who did not support the resolution penned by Councilor Joshua Alim on November 14, was part of the 1993 City Council that handed PECO the grand prize.
PECO, the sole power distributor in Iloilo City's more than 50,000 consumers, must've underestimated the City Council after it secured the November 22, 2017 date for the hearing of its application for franchise extension before the House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Franchises.
PECO's franchise will expire in 2019.
Because of the City Council's recalcitrance, PECO is now expected to have a rough ride when the hearing in the House of Representatives unfolds on November 22. It's like going to war bringing only high powered machine guns but without bullets.
We don't believe that Alim, Councilor R Leone Gerochi and their ilk are motivated by "political ambitions" when they spearheaded the titanic war versus the giant electric firm.
HELP
Even before Alim became a city councilor, he was already helping the late former Councilor German Gonzales and Gerochi's father. Atty. Romeo Gerochi, in the battle to free the Ilonggo consumers from the harrowing clutches of PECO's atrocious generation and distribution charges in the early 90s.
Alim hasn't forgotten that the anti-PECO crusade did not, in any way, help Gonzales when he ran and lost for vice mayor in 1995.
If Alim intends to run for city mayor or congressman in 2019, he will have to think twice before using the PECO brouhaha as a stepping stone.
If Alim is in the forefront in the war against PECO's shortcomings, it's probably because he wants to champion the cause of the hoi polloi, not because he wants their votes in the next elections.
Alim hasn't forgotten that the anti-PECO crusade did not, in any way, help Gonzales when he ran and lost for vice mayor in 1995.
If Alim intends to run for city mayor or congressman in 2019, he will have to think twice before using the PECO brouhaha as a stepping stone.
If Alim is in the forefront in the war against PECO's shortcomings, it's probably because he wants to champion the cause of the hoi polloi, not because he wants their votes in the next elections.
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