Commentary: Stabilizing the power rate
By Ailene N Diaz
Catarman, Northern Samar (18 October) -- Stabilizing the power rate is one of the most awaited good news for the consumers of the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (NORSAMELCO).
The act of the Administration to stabilize power rates and map-out preemptive measures against eventual power shortages and black-outs/brown-outs are welcome moves amidst the hopelessness of the Nortehanon to have a dependable power supply.
When NORSAMELCO started its operations in Northern Samar, people were so happy because at that time, just the mere fact that electricity was existing already meant being updated with the events not only in the country but around the world. Others were content in being updated on the lives of their favorite film stars through the movies shown on television, not to mention the mini- teledramas. At that time, people did not mind the poor service of the electric cooperative. People were happy that there was an electric cooperative and that if the services given were poor, time will come that these services could improve.
But as time passed by, this belief that the services could improve turned into a sense of hopelessness. Blackouts became a regular occurrence. Dealing with brownouts became a way of life.
Nowadays however, because of financial difficulties felt not only by average income earners but most of all by those who are living below the poverty line, electricity has become a choice between having it and skip one meal a day or not having it and get the full three meals a day.
Fact is, people are willing to sacrifice one meal a day with the hope that electric providers would exert best effort to serve what is expected of them and the government to regulate the power rate and assure the people of unlimited electric supply with utmost regard to the interest of the people and the consumer.
In Northern Samar, no doubt, crawling progress and development is blamed on the inutile services of the electric cooperative as businessmen are hesitant to invest in this part of the region because of the same reason.
The move of the government therefore to stabilize power rate and map out preemptive measures to prevent blackouts would be most welcome in Northern Samar. (PIA) [top]
