Consumers Domain
A Consumers Statement
"There's nothing more difficult than a line."
--Pablo Picasso
This column is featuring a statement from the consumer advocacy group, Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC). This is in relation to the recent order of the ERC for PECO to refund close to P3 Billion to the consumers. Please read below.
Enough of PECO's monopoly and abuse!
Time to declare "People's Power over PECO's power!"
The Freedom from Debt Coalition-Iloilo Chapter together with consumer groups Environmental Consumers Network (ECN) and the Ilonggo Consumers Advocacy & Welfare (ICAW) representing the entire Ilonggo electricity consumers lauds the Energy Regulatory Commission for upholding the interest of the more than 40,000 consumers in its recent order directing PECO to return the money of the Ilonggos amounting to P2.89 Billion.
This victory is a product of 23-years of legal battle of consumer protection advocate, Romeo P. Gerochi, founder of ECN, convener of ICAW and the current chairperson of FDC-Iloilo Chapter. Atty. Gerochi voluntarily labored to fight PECO's monopoly of power distribution and its malpractices and abuses in order to uphold and protect consumer's rights and establish a just society.
The ERC found PECO guilty of overcharges since 1996 and even beyond. While we commend the move of the ERC to compel PECO to refund consumers, we assert our rightful claim on the refundable amount that was robbed by PECO in its long years of oppressive and deceitful practice which resulted in P2.89billion in overcharges.
With that, we vehemently protest the scheme of refund suggested by the Regulatory Body directing PECO to return "the amount of P0.0926 per kilowatt-hour starting the next billing cycle from receipt of its Order until such time that the full amount shall be refunded."
The suggested scheme of refund is unfair and unjust for the Ilonggo consumers. Our calculations reveal that it will take 60-years for PECO to fully complete the refund. This is more than equivalent on the number of years they enjoyed deceiving the consumers under the guise of under-recovery.
To implement such a scheme will defeat the hard-earned victory of the Ilonggo consumers' long years of struggle for justice against PECO.
We demand that this be converted into equity shares which will pave the way for democratization of ownership so that the Ilonggo consumers -- the public -- can be fully represented, participate in the processes and implement reforms that will protect consumers from wanton abuse and monopoly.
We have enough of PECO's abuse!
We declare "People's Power over PECO's Power!
Stop Monopoly and Privatization of Power Utilities Now!
(Send your comments and reactions to: for text messages to 0919-348-6337; for e-mails to ianseruelo@yahoo.com; and for blogs to http://consumersdomain.blogspot.com.)