Now is the right time

"Never give up, and be confident in what you do. There may be tough times, but the difficulties which you face will make you more determined to achieve your objectives and to win against all the odds."
--Marta

By Alex P. Vidal

NEW YORK CITY -- The right time to compel Panay Electric Company (PECO) to seriously address the major concerns and problems the Ilonggo consumers have been grappling everyday, is now.
It's now or never, in fact.
If PECO can get away with murder and manages to secure another 25 years of extension of its franchise without being obliged to fulfill its duties and obligations, the more than 50,000 power consumers in Iloilo City will have to agonize for another 25 years.
PECO apparently did not satisfy most of the metropolis' electric consumers as manifested by their strong stand against its application for renewal of franchise.
If they fought tooth and nail to oppose PECO's canticle, the city council, led by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon, probably wholeheartedly believed in the sentiments of the consumers.
After all, most of them are consumers themselves.
The city aldermen must have realized that PECO has reneged on its promise to do its best and serve the consumers better if its application for extension of franchise in 1993 was approved.


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It turned out that the same problems that cropped up during the public hearings for PECO's extension of franchise in 1993 in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, were almost the same after 25 years.
PECO's franchise will expire in 2019, thus it is asking congress to renew it for another 25 years.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod, however, had passed a resolution "vehemently opposing" the application.
The local legislature wanted the public hearing set on November 22 in the House of Representatives to be held in Iloilo City so that more stakeholders can be given the chance to attend and air their suggestions and grievances.
But even if the city council had already made a "solid" stand on the issue, Mayor Jose Espinosa III is adamant to support it.
He raised serious concerns of services vaccum, among other possible "interruptions" should PECO fails to get another chance to serve the consumers in the next 25 years.
If the house is divided, it can't stand on solid ground.
It appears that the city council did not have the last say on this very passionate and urgent subject matter.
There is still the city mayor and, perhaps, Rep. Jerry Trenas, who might give PECO a standing eight count, or eleventh hour miracle, whatever it may be, when push comes to shove.
Both Espinosa and Trenas have expressed sentiments that they would respect the city council's stand, but most Ilonggos can now read between the lines: both the city mayor and the congressman don't share the same boat with the city councilors in as far as the PECO imbroglio is concerned.