Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III wanted an electricity distributor that can provide good service to the residents of the metropolis.
“I am more concerned on the service to our people and if who can provide our residents good service, then we will get that kind of service,” said Espinosa, regarding the franchise renewal of Panay Electric Company (PECO).
The Lower House or the House of Representatives will be having a hearing on PECO’s franchise renewal for 25 years on Nov. 22.
“If the Lower House decides to let the national government take over Iloilo City’s electricity service, a lot of things should be taken into consideration such as what specific agency will take over and the expropriation of PECO’s site,” Espinosa said.
“In getting a private property for public use, there should be a due process. What government agency will handle and which division of that will oversee,” he added.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) passed a resolution vehemently opposing the renewal of franchise of PECO and let the national government take over until such time that a qualified distributor comes in.
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Councilor R Leone Gerochi said the franchise should not be renewed since PECO was declared to have overcharged its costumers on several occasions and have a penchant for overbilling its consumers.
He noted PECO was ordered in 2004 to refund the total amount of P631-million but has not been completed up to date.
“To make matters worse, the consumers suffer from PECO’s poor customer complaints service, and erroneous and inconsistent meter readings, among others. These have cause a considerable number of its customers to suffer anxiety and sleepless nights when their electric bills suddenly increased more than ten-fold of their usual bills without any adequate explanation or rectification from PECO except signing of a promissory note where consumers are compelled to pay without justification as to the said increase,” said Gerochi, author of the resolution.
