Shutdown?

A letter that circulated on social media recently apparently sent by Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corp. (OMCPC) to Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) caused great alarm to netizens and not only to the latter’s member-consumer-owners (MCOs). The letter is supposed to be just between the two entities as far as I see it.

In the letter dated May 26, 2022, and addressed to Cesar E. Faeldon, NEA Supervisor of the EC, OMCPC said and I quoted here in verbatim “Please be informed that our plant can only operate up to June 1, 2022 at 0600 hrs, if we will continue to operate our 3 gensets at full capacity. This is in connection with our previous letter informing you that the plant will cease operation due to the reason that our fuel supplier will no longer deliver fuel to our plant site unless we settle our payments to them. Our existing fuel stock in the plant will only last up to the said date and we do not have any choice but to shutdown our plant operations." The letter was signed by OMCPC-SAMARICA Plant Head Edgardo D. Cruz.

Supposed internal correspondence such as this should be kept confidential between the EC and the power provider and should not be publicized because it may create public panic and it did. Having it posted on social media, it would draw unnecessary alarm, anxiety, and intrigue. With high probability, the letter leaked from the camp that would benefit from it. To me, making it public pressured, if not threatened, OMECO particularly its BOD to facilitate the release of the estimated 300M peso subsidy from the National Power Corporation (NPC).  

I attended in person the 41^st Annual General Assembly (AGMA) at Mayor Juan G. Santos Memorial Gymnasium in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro last Sunday, May 29, 2022, 3 days after the letter circulated on social media. Through teleconferencing, the AGMA has other two satellite venues, the Sablayan Astrodome and the Mamburao Municipal Gymnasium. The keynote speaker, Emmanuel P. Juaneza, NEA administrator, rendered his speech via zoom due to equally important commitment he has to attend in person.

The previous online discussions went overboard and went far as to conclude that the OMECO has an unpaid debt to OMCPC. The OMCPC people did not attend the AGMA for an unknown reason. So with other invited municipal and provincial officials. Only out-going mayor Romulo “Muloy” Festin of San Jose, the host municipality, who rendered a message and swore in the incoming BOD members attended the AGMA but immediately left after the oathtaking. I also spotted there SB Mercy Alvaran, also of said town sitting at the long and neatly covered table with immaculate white tetoron allotted for said officials-MCO.

In his report, the outgoing BOD President Rodolfo Plopinio made it clear that OMECO has no standing debt or whatsoever to OMCPC. They were ordered by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to prioritize the paying of their supplier. Plopinio even added that their payment to the lone supplier is always in advance and concluded that OMECO does not owe OMCPC anything. Earlier today, May 30, 2022, OMECO had a advance payment of 65M pesos for OMCPC to settle their account to their fuel supplier, ergo, no shutdown is about to happen this coming June 1, 2022. They already got what they want.

If OMECO did not publicize the supposed internal letter from OMCPC, who leaked it? Be the judge, my dear readers.

In other developments, in 2021, there are 3 sources of power supply in the whole Occidental Mindoro according to the Power Supply Update presented by Engr. Celso D. Garcia, manager of the EC’s Technical Services Department: The OMCPC 20MW Bunker-Diesel Power Plant in Pulang Lupa, the Pag-Asa Grains Center, Inc. (PGCI), and the Net Metering Agreement (NMA) with Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or ORMECO. The NMA is suspended at present due to a lack of supply in Oriental Mindoro. The PSA of 9MW in MAPSA was docketed on April 13, 2022 and there is already a Provisional Authority (PA) from ERC that was already posted in their website recently.

In sum, the demand for electricity in the whole province during peak hours is pegged at 27MW while they can only supply 24.5MW, therefore, the rotational brown-out we are experiencing since the start of this year.

The PSA for Sablayan’s 6MW Diesel Plant signed on January 12, 2022, was already docketed to Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) only last May 2, 2022, and soon it will be for commissioning, connection, replacement of the existing system, and in full service hopefully before December 2022. At present, we are just waiting for PA to operate before its full service (For specific details of the power supply update, you may contact OMECO on the matter-NAN).

Please be informed too that the PGCI is a biomass power plant and providing the company's excess power from 1.5 to 2MW. It is more cheaper for it is classified as renewable energy so it is exempted from taxes.

To set the record straight, again, OMECO has no debt whatsoever to the OMCPC. This is just a figment in the imagination of the irresponsible social media personalities and users and the enablers of the entity, the capitalists, and personalities that will benefit from the letter’s exposure to the public on the impending, alleged shutdown. The culprit/s in thinning out such external business correspondence broke the ethical standard in a business partnership.

Shame on them!

Still, OMECO continuous to be our favorite whipping boy, fall guy, and scapegoat rolled into one although most of the problems in electricity we are facing are rooted in various negligence and vested interests of top to bottom players, those who are in power, in business and politics alike, and their cahoots in the industry throughout the country including neoliberal laws and policies on energy that are anti-people. We singled  out our very own cooperative for blame.

Shame on us!

San Josenian Chris Lalata Enters the PBA

After 47 years of existence of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) finally a player born and raised in San Jose, Mindoro will be playing in Asia’s first-ever play-for-pay league.

Chris Lalata was able to fulfill his dream of being a professional hoopster for he was selected 2^nd round 16^th draft pick over-all chosen by the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters. A total of 75 players submitted their draft applications, but that number got cropped to 66 as some failed to submit the obligatory requirements.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser lands at Blackwater as the top pick, while Terrafirma and Converge select Jeremiah Gray and Jeo Ambohot as the No. 2 and 3 picks, respectively. The draft happened at Robinson’s Place in Manila yesterday, Sunday, May 15, 2022.

Lalata’s first-ever PBA team is managed by Paulo Bugia and governed by Atty. Raymond Zorilla with Michael “Topex” Robinson as the head bench tactician. The team debuted in the PBA in the 2016 Commissioners Cup. Its franchise commenced after it acquired the second Barako Bull team (erstwhile known as the original Air21 Express team) in January of that year. Aside from Lalata, also listed to play for the team are PBA tyros Tyler Tio and Encho Serrano. The three are expected to immediately gel with the team’s top players such as Chris Banchero, Vic Manuel, RJ Jazul, Matthew Wright, and the rest.

Back in San Jose, Lalata studied and played for the Pedro T. Mendiola Sr. Memorial National High School and joined various regional competitions and sandlot basketball as a kid and inter-municipality, provincial and regional leagues as a teen.

If you are a budding basketball player, seeing your name on the back of the jersey worn by fans and exhibited in a sports apparel store feels like heaven. Especially if thousands of people cheer you on, as you play in famous venues such as the Big Dome, the MOA Arena, and the rest. The PBA is the Golconda of every Filipino basketballer with its adulation, salary and perks and other advantages.

As far as I could remember, there are only two professional players who came from Mindoro Island before him: the legendary Nelson “The Bull” Asaytono of various champion teams of the league who was born in San Teodoro but raised in Mamburao, and Robinson “Ben” Obrique of the CDCP Galleon Shippers from Roxas also from the island’s eastern side.

Seeking greener pasture in the big city, the long-limbed Mindoro cager played for St. Francis of Assisi College, Olivarez College, Marinerong Pilipino, Muntinlupa Cagers, the Bicol Volcanoes, Zamboanga Family Brand Sardines, Bacolod Masters and Davao Occidental Tigers. Lalata stands 6’5”, 198 lbs.  He was born in Barangay Mangarin on January 9, 1995. I featured him in this blog entry two years ago.

He practically grew up on a breeding farm for fighting cocks in their community. This youthful power forward from Occidental Mindoro soars through the big league like a winner rooster that powers its way out of the cockpit arena.

-------

Photo: WWW.PBA.PH

 

 

Ryan Sioson’s Win: Beginner’s Luck or Destiny?

 

Unlike his governor uncle who rose from the ranks of the political ladder from barrio captain, municipal councilor, vice-mayor, mayor, and governor, Ryan Gadiano-Sioson, a newcomer, came to the province’s political scene with a bang. And a loud bang at that!

Was it beginner’s luck?

He is the eldest child of Punong Barangay Rodel Sioson and Erlinda Gadiano also the eldest nephew of Governor Ed Gadiano. Ryan is a computer engineer by profession and served as the executive secretary of his uncle from July 2019 to September 2021. When AKAP HUB, the convergence and progressive health program of the provincial government which is a brainchild and banner program of the Gadiano administration came into existence, he was immediately appointed as its focal person.

Despite the financial mess that he bested brought about by the disagreement between the executive and legislative branches, AKAP HUB became the bastion of hope for thousands of our province mates who have health issues, especially those with serious medical conditions. His new assignment put him closer to the marginalized, vulnerable basic sectors of society including the Mangyans coming from different ethnolinguistic groups in the province.

The hub was launched on October 7, 2019, and since then, the name Ryan Gadiano-Sioson became synonymous with AKAP HUB, therefore, the political moniker “Mr. AKAP HUB”.

Sioson ranked third in the recent election for board members in the first district of Occidental Mindoro covering Looc, Lubang, Paluan, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Sta. Cruz and his hometown Sablayan where he figuratively spooned a total of 48,790 strong votes. The newbie lawmaker, better-half of an engaging social worker from Sta. Cruz town, Hannah Patrisha Torreliza-Encina, vowed to continue what he have started in AKAP HUB, short for Aking Kalusugan Ating Pangalagaan-Health Unified Body.

When asked why despite his lack of experience in the medical or health field, why did he accepted the challenge and took the cudgels he said, “Everyone gets sick and sickness is not always planned. Not all time people can afford to pay the high cost of medication, recuperation or hospitalization.” With his full adherence to this advocacy, two legislations in the future came to his mind: the issuance of health cards for particular sectors of society and the other is to craft an ordinance towards steadier institutionalization of AKAP HUB.

Indeed, at some point in one’s life he won a game he never played before and since politics is a game of chance, Sioson considered his victory as beginner’s luck but as days pass by, he realized that it was a combination of hard work and destiny that came into play for him. He does not have his own political coordinators, leaders, and campaigners but he steadfastly labored for this win. While name recall counts (because he has a Gadiano pedigree), he made have distinct marks in countless attributes.

The incoming board member is a believer and champion for clean elections and politicking for he won without even a single drop of fraud and as clean and pure as stainless steel. He pledged a corruption-free tenure as the people look forward to it.

May these words of Buddhist monk and teacher Shunryu Suzuki inspire Board Member Sioson’s baptism of fire in politics and amidst the old-timers in the provincial legislative board: “In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert's there are few.” This is in a way a brotherly nugget of wisdom for the young legislature coming from this simple Mindoro chronicler.

Whether it’s a beginner’s luck or not, one day Ryan Sioson will make a name for himself and would no longer be a beginner but an expert in politics and statesmanship.

Hard work and dedication prelude destiny for sure where luck plays a very minor role.

--------

Photo: SP Ryan G. Sioson’s FB Page

Ladaga-Javier’s Tall Order Ahead

There is a very high expectation in the forthcoming administration of Mayor-elect Atty. Rey Ladaga of San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. He has to deliver swiftly on various immediate concerns confronting the most progressive municipality in the province. He banked on his anti-corruption narrative and this time it worked out. Ladaga, former vice-mayor, and board member won the position finally after 2 successive failures, in 2016, and 2019. Ladaga finished his Law Degree at San Beda College in 1974.

In the recent election, Ladaga reaped a total of 33,533 votes winning against his closest rival Board Member Michelle de Mesa Festin, daughter of incumbent mayor Romulo “Muloy” Festin, who garnered 18,024 votes. It is very telling that if you combine the votes of Festin-Rivera and the rest mayoralty wannabes specifically Councilor Bobot Chua (9,728), Vice-Mayor Rod Agas (6,961), and the unknown Senen Erandio (267) the total would be 34,980. If Cong. Josephine R. Sato as their political leader was able to unite her group and come up with just one candidate for mayor, the outcome would be different, at least mathematically speaking.

Though Sonny Javier (40,327) won the vice-mayoralty slot via landslide, the majority of the elected Sanggunian members came from the Sato-Festin camp, namely Jiji Aguilar (29,218), Myrna Zapanta (28,556), Erning Jaravata (25,291), Robert Mangahas (22,477), and Jimmy Holgado (18,650). Only Arnel Argame (26,595) and Barok Balmes (21,524) belong to Ladaga-Javier tandem. (I do not know where Councilor Mercy Alvaran (19,539) is affiliated at present.) Balmes and Mangahas are barangay officials while Holgado came straight from the private sector. He manages a security agency, has roots in Iling island, and known for his charitable works. 

By the way, Sonny Javier got 40,327 votes winning the position of vice-mayor and presiding officer of the municipal council over Jun-Jun Malilay’s 21,949 shades.

What are the pressing concerns of San Jose at this very moment? Numerous. But the first two things that come to my mind are the public market and the public cemetery. These are the biggest eyesores as of this moment. While the Aroma Beach Pathwalk project has already been started by Mayor Muloy, for some reason, it has not been completed as scheduled, the public cemetery and the public market are still for the inauguration. The people in my town of birth expect that before Ladaga’s term ends in 2025, these two grand projects must be completed or at least commenced.

Ladaga will be inheriting a 290M loan of the municipality from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). The municipal council authorized Mayor Muloy in entering into a loan agreement with the aforementioned financing institution just recently. Ladaga got prominence as lawyer of the masses but this predicament will test again his prowess in financial management. Let as not forget that he was once branch attorney and branch manager of DBP-San Jose, the same bank where the local government has a borrowing.

The Festin administration has 70M budget for the construction of the San Jose Public Market. Meantime while the construction is ongoing, a temporary building is being constructed in the former Motor Pool in Labangan is in progress with the water and electrical systems are still underway. The Ladaga watch will be met with resistance coming from the stall owners and vendors. On the other hand, the Festin administration is yet to start the transfer of the San Jose Public Cemetery which is now very congested and requires fast and smart solution. The new set of officials has to purchase a lot for the purpose and start immediate construction of facilities therein. 

Quick delivery of basic social services is another area that the in-coming new administration has to resolve including efficient and effective activities, projects, and programs concerning pandemic recovery toward the so-called “new normal”. In line with the Mandanas Ruling, human resource services must be streamlined and professionalized and hire only a justifiable number of employees, specifically casuals and job orders. It has been said that the LGU's delivery of basic services is red tape-ridden and the customer satisfaction rating is very low. Relevant social services for all especially persons with disability, senior citizens, the Mangyans, children, the youth, and the women that assure effective and inclusive delivery and social inclusion must be implemented in toto. The clients if its different offices must be at ease doing business with them following the letter and intent of the ARTA and of course, the bible of local governance, the RA 7160.

Effective and inclusive governance through the close coordination between the barangays and the local government through genuine accountability and transparency is also a must for the new administration.

Like the biblical temple, the Office of the Mayor necessitates a thorough cleansing. The constituency needs an immediate solution to these major problems that the incoming administration has to instantaneously solve within its first 100 days in office.

On the part of the legislative department, even though they are a minority, incoming Vice-Mayor Sonny Javier, the people expect efficient and effective measures by directing the smooth flow of legislation within the bounds and true essence of the legislature through warranting and governing a free and inclusive lawmaking-body which the ordinary San Joseño like this writer can depend on at all times.

VM Sonny, as a man of faith and being involved in religious organizations, will nurture adept leadership and doing by example, bringing the legislative body closer to higher standards and moral values. Hopefully.

May God help them both and so are we.

----

(Photo: San Jose PR Team)

 

Analysis on the Gadiano Victory

 

The people of Occidental Mindoro have spoken and through the ballot, they ended the 32 years of unblemished election record of Josephine Y. Ramirez-Sato, former vice-governor, governor, and congresswoman. The political trio known as TGT composed of Leody F. Tarriela, Gov. Eduardo B. Gadiano, and Diana C. Apigo-Tayag won a landslide victory against their separate rivals for congressional, gubernatorial, and vice-gubernatorial seats, respectively.

In 2019, when Sato overpowered Mayor Juan M. Sanchez in her third bid for a seat in the House of Representatives, she confidently declared, “Hindi pa ipinapanganak ang tatalo sa akin.” (The one who defeats me has not yet been born.) To trace back, Sato was elected governor for three consecutive terms (1992–1995, 1995–1998, 1998–2001.) Then served her first term as congresswoman from 2001 to 2004. After Sato's first term as a congresswoman, she again served for three consecutive terms as governor of the province (2004–2007, 2007–2010, 2010–2013).

Then after her sixth term as governor, she has again elected as congresswoman of Occidental Mindoro until she was badly beaten in an electoral contest by Gadiano just yesterday, May 9, 2022. This is the first time that the Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) did not endorse her since she started her political career. This is Sato’s first taste of defeat. This cemented the belief of the political observers that the leader from Sablayan who climbed the local ladder of authority is indeed capable of overtaking titans.

Gadiano got a whooping 150,627 votes over Sato’s 92,138 tally (As of May 10, 2022/2:32 PM). Out of the province’s 11 municipalities, Sato won only in Looc. Here is the breakdown:

1.      Abra de Ilog: Gadiano-9,721; Sato-5,513

2.     Calintaan: Gadano-8,808; Sato-4,529

3.     Looc: Sato-2,931; Gadiano-2,924

4.     Lubang: Gadiano-5,385; Sato-5,110

5.     Magsaysay: Gadiano-10,663; Sato-7,732

6.     Mamburao: Gadiano-13,610; Sato-9,809

7.     Paluan: Gadiano-7,038; Sato-3,553

8.    Rizal: Gadiano - 11,217; Sato-7,950

9.     Sta. Cruz: Gadiano – 12,953; Sato-6,163

10.                        Sablayan: Gadiano – 28,408; Sato-12,313 (Gadiano’s bailiwick)

11.  San Jose : Gadiano: 39,908; Sato-26,535 (Sato’s bailiwick)

I also attribute the victory of Gadiano and the rest of the TGT to good branding and effective narrative, its counter-propaganda initiative, well-oiled machinery, and the Sato strategy itself that backfired, especially the negative campaigning her camp employed like the supposed sexual assault, especially those fiddled by fictitious social media accounts and trolls, and paid radio programs, more so those hosted by a turncoat notorious radio personality based in San Jose. 

For me, the TGT and the Ganados employed a combination of competency-based and politics of discontent brands of political campaigning. It also thrived on the combination of both Change and Continuity that is common in confronting politicians who overstay in office facing an incumbent candidate. The issue of brown out, as I keep on insisting every now and then, became the burning issue at hand given that Sato had been in power, as they keep on saying repeatedly in every sortie, for 32 years. This shows the brilliance of the TGT's campaign operators and propagandists. This is the fruit of their hard labor.

Brownouts have a direct personal experience with all of us and aside from the best practices of Gadiano administration in less than 3 years, like the establishment of AKAP Hub, the sustainable livelihood program, the pandemic response related PPAs, the sea ambulances that had not been considered since the province’s founding 7 decades ago and the rest of the best practices of his government, played a major role of giving him a fresh mandate as the province’s chief executive. The TGT team also was able to touch and bring their message to the farthest sitios and even the geographically isolated and disadvantaged border communities while their rival concentrated more on the periphery than the countryside. Not to mention the baseless accusations painted all over concrete and conspicuous bridges in Sablayan. Such special operation exploded right at the very faces of those who masterminded it.

It is also worthy to say that the TGT and the rest of the so-called Team Ganado in different municipalities led by Gadiano himself, were able to articulately convey the message that they are being “dribbled” (from the governor’s own word) on the issue of the disapproval of the two annual budgets. How his office and the whole province’s delivery of basic services, projects, and programs were badly affected by the budget curtailment of the provincial board dominated by Sato’s political allies. Gadiano succeeded in telling the people that this modus will make the people, especially the poor, suffer more. That political "repeaters" are the culprits why we are still in this social mess. This includes the huge deficit in the public coffer when he stepped into office in 2019. But despite this, he was able to manage the finances and delivered priority programs and essential projects responding to the people's needs while the gargantuan loans of the previous administration were gradually settled. He dared to deliver even amidst the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic. Gadiano delivered his message clearly winning inch by inch the hearts and minds of the common tao with utmost conviction, authority and fervor.

Being aligned with Marcos-Duterte tandem was also a big factor for them in terms of tactical alliance.

The people yelled out their discontents and anxieties through their votes.

Let the murky water of partisan politics settle for a moment.

------

(Photo: Gov. Ed Gadiano’s Facebook Account)

 

 

The Inseparability of Politics and Electricity in Sato-Gadiano Rivalry

 

Since the time of Thomas Edison, the electricity industry is already been a permanent feature in politics. Before Pearl Street (his pioneering streetlight project) ever opened, Edison had to bribe New York politicians to begin laying the foundations of his work.

As Time magazine recounts, Edison “obtained with great difficulty the consent of New York’s famously corrupt city government to build his proposed network on the southern tip of Manhattan.” As the early electricity industry grew, it became more involved with city politics over lighting contracts. Electricity providers had to receive franchise rights from city officials to serve local areas, opening the door for those officials to extort power companies for campaign contributions or personal bribes.

The year was 1882.

Fast forward to Occidental Mindoro. Present time.

Centuries have already passed as it proves that electricity and politicians are inseparable, with due respect to its deniers and pretenders from both ends.

The Island Power Corporation (IPC) controversy is the mother liquor of this sourest situation of a power failure and brownouts in the province. This situation is just the offshoot of a series of awfully debauched business decisions taken by the previous Board of Directors and management of OMECO since 1993. It all started when the OMECO BOD entered into a one-sided Contract or Energy Conversion Agreement (ECA) with Island Power Corporation (IPC) on December 10, 1993. The ECA guaranteed an onerous 25-year term (with the option to extend) to the latter, without providing for a “termination clause” that would have allowed OMECO to “automatically” rescind or terminate the ECA in case IPC failed to fulfill its obligations, without having to seek judicial recourse. A political titan represents the IPC, the former Governor Jose T. Villarosa.

The Power Supply Agreement (PSA) between Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) and the Emerging Power Incorporated (EPI), Philippines, was signed February 28, 2014, at Sikatuna Beach Hotel in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. According to Rep. Josephine Y. Ramirez Sato, EPI assured them then that by 2015, we would be getting an additional 3.3 MW and expected to increase each year. She said, “By 2017, we can all say goodbye to brownouts and other hassles brought about by power outage, we were assured.” The truth is, the geothermal source was a hoax, and out of nowhere, the Occidental Mindoro Consolidated Power Corporation (OMCPC) immediately appeared like Aladdin’s genie and inked a Swiss Challenge Procurement Agreement with OMECO. And the rest of the EPI story is history, I mean, a fairy tale.

Sometime in March 2018, Rep. Josephine Sato and her allies led the Solar Para sa Bayan (SPSB) opening in Paluan. Critics of the project said that the SPSB exploited a captive market of electric consumers now nailed to the power company’s greed. Cong. Sato even said then that the project “should be replicated all across Mindoro.” 

Rightly so, the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) has insisted that SPSB cease its operations because Paluan is part of the electric cooperative. No local politicians then stood on behalf of the EC and its MCOs, defended their electricity franchise privileges, and yielded their mandate to SPSB. OMECO did not receive any support from SPSB enablers on this problematic area. It was understandable because they are backing the solar project during its infantile stage of operation. The Municipality of Paluan, after a few years of partnership with SPSB now relinquished its power provision to OMECO. The SPSB abandoned the solar project afraid of totally losing their capital. The electric cooperative that they once bypassed redeemed them from chaos.

Sato and Villarosa are now on speaking terms after decades of hostility. Even their political allies in different political positions now merged as a group. Some known and longtime political allies of Villarosa now aligned themselves with the Sato group. Their former warring media propagandists and supporters already buried the hatchet, directing their criticisms over the radio and social media on their common "enemy": the incumbent governor Eduardo Gadiano. Gadiano recently advised OMECO to fast-track the Competitive Selection Process (CSP) to have a new power provider. The governor’s critics even pointed out that other politicians had already resolved his allegedly late proposals. The opposition rejected all his recommendations and action on the matter with all mean intentions. They belittled him saying that the governor does not fully understand the issue.

The governor failed to get from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan the resolution declaring the province under a state of emergency because of intermittent power interruptions.  Take note, too, that a crack among the provincial board members on issuing such resolution as requested by the governor arose.

This coming May 9, whether we like it or not, the issue of brownout or power shortage in the province becomes the on-point issue. It will be immaterial for the voters the reasons and justifications for technicalities and legalities in the power industry sector. They will not forget the fact that after 32 years both of the camps of the two local political titans the problem is not resolved to date.

Politics and electricity are designed for relationships and not for isolation. Politicians and the electric consumer are socializers. They, too, are inseparable. And the agony is, the politicians’ circus is the electric consumers’ crisis.

They employ power-play politics amid power failures. Even those who deny it know that.

Local politicians have made promises for decades to end brownouts, but they ignore the reality that they had been part of the problem. Since time immemorial, they had already dipped their fingers in the issue with both beneficent and sinister motives. That is all in aid of (re-)election, one may think.

The bottom line of all: This issue of power, once again, could make or break the political careers of those gunning gubernatorial and congressional seats in 2022. Failure to employ political power that caused power failure is the main meat of the discourses leading to election day and beyond as long as brownout still exists, whatever its cause. Be it rotational power distribution, turbine washing, tripping, and other trouble like the recent mechanical disturbance in the power plant.

The bone of contention is the politicians’ three years of apparent lack of knowledge on the issue contrasted with three decades (or more) of vested interests, incredible business choices, and perhaps, negligence. Be it coming from the transmission, generation, or distribution side.

It will appear like this: Politicians versus their electoral rivals and overstaying political factions against the brownout fed-up voters and electric consumers. The electric consumers who are also voters are all discontented with this situation of electric power in the province.

When asked what are the prospects of this coming election, my friend, Atty. Lawrence Villamar has this to say: "It's important to note that this election may mark an end of an era and introduction of new players in local politics."

This word picture makes the elections on Monday and the local politics in Occidental Mindoro more fun and exciting.

------

References:

 https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/history-electricity/#Dawn

 https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/976292/mindoro-solar-power-project-to-supply-electricity-at-p9-per-kwh

 https://www.philstar.com/business/2014/02/26/1294492/emerging-power-eyes-mindoro-market?nomobile=1