Juxtaposing Occidental Mindoro Brownouts and the GGG-Canelo III

The Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) absorbs all criticisms, insults, redicule, and hatred from its member-consumer-owners or MCO, especially during brownouts or power outages. Figuratively, as I have said before, the EC is our favorite punching bag. A punching bag, metaphorically speaking, is a person or an entity severely criticized or bashed and even punished as a way for others to express anger and heavy feelings.

In the literal sense, a punching bag is a bag filled with material or air, hung from a frame or attached to a stand and used by martial artists and boxers like Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin and Saul “Canelo” Álvarez. The two fighters, a Kazakhstani and a Mexican, will be squaring it off for the third time on Sunday, September 18, 2022 (Philippine time), at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Since I am a boxing enthusiast, I will eagerly pray that my place is past the worst from brownout on the day of the most exciting fight of the year. Canelo will put his undisputed Super-Middleweight crown on the line against GGG.

The two rivals shared 24 electrifying rounds in 2017 and 2018, with Canelo prevailing via majority decision in the rematch after their initial match was a draw. Also, sometime in that period, the largest power provider in the province came into existence, replacing the supposed green energy source. It is supposedly geothermal.

The decades-long electricity deluge in Occidental Mindoro started even before GGG and Canelo hit the punching bag and helped them with their precision, defense and conditioning. That was even before the Cantarell oil field was established in the Gulf of Mexico and the mammoth protest Dos Kushim staged against the Russians in Kazakhstan. That’s how long the agony of the consumers in our electric power-forsaken province is.

If the GGG-Canelo III is dubbed "The Trilogy", the Occidental Mindoro electric power history can be called "The Tragedy".

While oil fuels electricity, protests are a natural consequence of its absence. According to the only biggest power generator in Western Mindoro, the present intermittent brownout is due to a lack of sufficient fuel because their finances could no longer afford its entire purchase. Over social media, the netizens protested. Without rational processes, though figuratively, they delivered the most brutal blows, wayward punches, and vicious kicks on their favorite punching bag: the OMECO.

Attacks even aimed only at the punching bag and not in an actual fight necessitate brain or education. Boxing is not just about power and speed. It also involves critical, informed, and rational action. Read about Pythagoras, the philosopher. He was also a boxer.

Netizens lambasted OMECO to no end, for they instantly believed it had a massive debt to the power producer, which is untrue. These people over the net didn’t bother to study and verify whether it was a fact. To set the record straight, our EC has no debt to the leading power producer. This is just a figment in the imagination of irresponsible social media personalities and users and the enablers of that corporation.

Instead of blaming OMECO for this debacle, we should have called for retracting the unjustified penalty imposed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the alleged bidding failure. How could there be a failure of bidding if the price is low and favorable to the MCOs?

We should have stood by OMECO by not passing the burden of payment to the consumers and we should have been pressuring the ERC to clarify its order at the soonest possible time.

Do your homework, and don’t punch the wrong bag!

But like the literal punching bag, OMECO is also fixed to something more powerful above. Laws, entities, personalities, bureaucracies, corruptions, politics, etc. But admittedly, it has its own internal little problems too.

In boxing, there is a “tale of the tape.” It refers to objectively comparing two fighters, where they are measured and weighed before a fight. The word “tape” here suggests that reach or height was the first measurement being referred to. Over time, the phrase has expanded, including weight and other semi-objective measurements like a fighter’s previous record, what championship belts they possess, and biographical information like where they are from. In this context, it combines making an objective comparison with simply describing the fighter.

Here is the Tale of the Tape in the GGG v. Canelo III:

ALVAREZ

Age: 32

Fights: 61

Wins: 57

Losses: 2

Draws: 2

Knock Out Wins: 39

Height: 5’8”

Weight: 168 lbs.

Stance: Orthodox

GOLOVKIN

Age: 40

Fights: 44

Wins: 42

Loss: 1

Draw: 1

Knock Out Wins: 37

Height: 5’10”

Stance: Orthodox

From “tale of the tape,” let us go to “red tape.” As we all know, red tape is an idiom referring to regulations or conformity to formal rules or standards claimed to be excessive, rigid, or redundant or to bureaucracy claimed to hinder or prevent action or decision-making.

There was a dialogue initiated by the Municipal Council of San Jose last September 12, 2022, and was exhaustively presided by Hon. Mercy Alvaran, we are informed that the bidding delay was caused not by OMECO but by power entities at the national level and its power provider itself. The lady lawmaker told this scribe that at least now, the municipal legislative board could craft resolutions in support of all those in the local power sector regarding brownout. 

Dr. Eleanor Sy-Costibolo, MD., the feisty president of the OMECO BOD, reiterated that the delay in the bidding was not their fault and what they did was following the law, blatantly declared: “This is all red tape!”.

"To summarize, the fund is the main problem from all sides of the fence. It's the poor consumers that are caught in the middle of this scarcity of money," laments Alvaran. But for me, the scarcity of understanding tops them all. And I would not care if I get the ire and being laughed at by simpletons upon posting this. 

GGG is always seeking his opponent’s shutdown. Canelo loves to counter, but they are heavy punchers, and if a fist landed in your mouth, a total blackout would eat your all being with a full tank of fuel. When this two clash for the third time, the night’s most intelligent boxer will win.

Attacking OMECO generally, at least at this particular juncture, is like boxing our own face.

It’s GGG by stoppage. Round 8.

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(Photo: Pinterest)

 

 

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!

Time Out for Richard Rorty

Our concerns for electric power in Occidental Mindoro is not only a complex and multidimensional issue and judging from the recent posts and comments from respected opinion writers in on-line discussion threads, this misunderstanding pushes us all at the verge of disunity. The energy problem each day (especially during night time) already devastated us and our common dream for a concerted attempt to solve this crisis which started only-God-knows when.

Nasty words flew from all angles and directions but no matter how intelligent, rational, logical and sane they are, they are empty to me. In the sincerity of my silence (meaning not involving in these exchanges, which I think the most rational thing to do in the middle all of those unfriendly gestures), I took part in the recent initiatives towards the realization of our common goal for a sustained, reliable and affordable electricity for our locality. But making public what we do now would be premature. We intend to announce it at the right and proper time and venue. Please bear with us.

Reflecting on the current negative exchanges between my Facebook friends compels me to write this piece. The exchanges made me realize that the will to be objective certainly WILL always remain subjective. Even the most sincere and truthful witness or whistle blower under oath cannot set aside his or her biases in his/her statement. We as netizens have our own biases over issues especially those that can be rooted to politics and politicians. This is no doubt can rightly be considered a political issue for it concerns public welfare that involves our rights as consumers and whether we like it or not, it involves political personages. So it must be elevated from emotional to gut level discussions. As posters in discussion threads, we all risk out commitment to objectivity and we must always expect response from others, be it positive or negative. It is very easy to accept this fact.

Their recent exchanges were full of wisdom, yes, but devoid of taste, to say the least. This includes some comments from the readers when they join the fray. They are like medicines in bacteria-infected vessels, so to speak.

Nobody has the complete grasp and conclusion of this problem that caused the frequent power outages resulting to economic and productivity losses and missed opportunities and untold misery and insecurities of the citizenry. The “whole truth and nothing but the truth” in whatever issue, will always be elusive and no single person or group can claim that s/he has it all.

So, this discussion about power problem in our province cannot be treated as a singular event. This is connected to all other socio-political dimensions: legal, personal, physical and technical. Be it moral and even spiritual. Though relying only from my background as a former church worker, I am into opinion that our friends and acquaintances judge our spiritual growth and worth not only on how we respond to approvals or agreements, but also on refutations and disbelief, both coming from our friends or enemies. The words we use and the tone we set. Intentionally or not, one cannot afford to be a fool who always endears himself to evil structures and systems and the devils who are the roots of this hellish debacle that we are experiencing. We must not fall to the temptation of evil,- the grand great snatcher and concealer of truth and half truths, the grand master of divide and rule tactics. By muddling the issue, by misdirection, we serve, knowingly or otherwise, as Devil’s acolyte.

We have to work together for Richard M. Rorty once said, “One cannot be irresponsible toward a community of which one does not think of oneself as a member.”  I believe too that overly finding or stressing the truth here is not of vital importance. Rorty, my “newly found” philosopher once said, “Insistence on the existence or the importance of truth seems to me empty, at least by comparison to insistence on the need of freedom." Our utmost need in this particular case is no other than freedom from power crisis, personal differences are just peripheries! 

  

Rest assured that this will be my first and last reaction on the heated arguments between my friends that saddened me. Hope they’ll put an end to this word war soon.

This is just a sort of request for perpetual time out from a teammate who just read Rorty's thoughts...

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(Photo: olponeline.org.)

Emerging Power in Mindoro Island

The Power Supply Agreement (PSA) between Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) and the Emerging Power Incorporated (EPI), Philippines was finally signed last Friday, February 28, 2014 at Sikatuna Beach Hotel here in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and the speakers, especially those coming from our locality, including the two program emcees, keep on saying, “Walang pulitika ito” and with all honesty I do not believe them. There is politics in everything. Be it in other part of the planet or right here at our very nose.

The event is supposedly witnessed by no less than Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla but he didn’t show up for the day before, all of the five of the geothermal plants in Mindanao bogged down that resulted to massive power outage in the whole region. Malacanan sent him in the area to assess and remedy the situation there. He felt so sorry for his absence, according to reports. Secretary Petilla, on the other hand, is very positive on the realization of Mindoro Integrated Development Plan which is targeted to be funded by the Malampaya Fund.

The PSA between OMECO and EPI is a welcome development. At this early point, I would like to congratulate the OMECO people led by Melito Pasol, Chairman of the Board and Engr. Fritz Dantis, its general manager. EPI is a Mindoro-based power company which is about to operate a 45-megawatt geothermal power plant in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. The confirmatory tests, according to the EPI executive president Alberto C. Guanzon, gained positive results and they will be drilling 8 wells starting July of this year and gave assurance that the first well with 3MW capacity would be directed to, thus augment power supply in Occidental Mindoro through OMECO.

According to Rep. Josephine Y. Ramirez Sato, EPI assured them that by 2015, we will be getting additional 3.3 MW and expected to increase each year. By 2017, we can all say goodbye to brown outs and other hassles brought about by power outage, we were assured. Our geothermal source has a life span of 50 years and the Contract or the PSA has a life span of 25 years. What we need now are transmission lines and the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) should upgrade all its transmission lines circumventing the whole island as soon as possible. Sato asked the people from EPI to stand by their commitment. Rep. Rey Umali, of 2^nd district of Oriental Mindoro and chair of the Committee on Energy at the House of Representatives, too, graced the occasion.

From my perspective as a lowly electric consumer and MSEAC member, I think that financially-wise, geothermal is more acceptable than bunker fuel or oil and carbon for it belongs to renewable energy. Our country sells the highest electricity rate in the universe that made the average unit electricity consumption per Filipino household is half that of Indonesia. News reports have it that EPI is slated to drill by the third quarter of this year and will start delivering by middle of 2015, with the full capacity for delivering 20 MW to Occidental Mindoro and 20 MW to Oriental Mindoro by the middle of 2016. Antonie de Wilde, CEO of Emerging Power Inc, Philippines assured that the whole island will be the “capital of the shining light in the country.” Indeed, the geothermal field could also attract tourists just like the so-called Blue Lagoon in Iceland, they say.

In a paper entitled “Toward a Sustainable Energy Future for All: The Energy Sector Directions Paper” released by the World Bank in July 2013 stressed that the access to reliable source of energy is a key component to ending poverty. The undersigned too is into opinion that people living without electricity have fewer opportunities to improve their lives. Indeed, delivering reliable energy services for economic development and providing access to electricity to communities without or lacking such energy services is essential to reducing poverty. "Access to energy is absolutely fundamental in the struggle against poverty," said World Bank Vice President Rachel Kyte. "It is energy that lights the lamp that lets you do your homework, that keeps the heat on in a hospital, the light that lights the small businesses where most people work. Without energy, there is no economic growth, there is no dynamism, and there is no opportunity."  Let us be watchdogs more than ever. Our people cannot afford to be impoverished forever. We deserve more than being poor.

Everything is political. Thus, being the basic social service, the provision of reliable and affordable electricity, is one product of politics’ true intention. And again to emphasize, politics in the strictest sense of the world is sacred and positive. The ugly things are, among other things, when politicians intervene in a supposed to be apolitical (not leaning on any political group) electric cooperatives. In short, how politicians wield political power and authority. When this- and- that politician makes business or makes money out of it. When (s)he uses all the tricks (s)he can afford to legally assert his/her business interest. These are the very emerging concerns that we must be vigilant of as electric consumers.

There is politics in everything. Even silence is a political option and action…

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(Photo grabbed without permission from Robert Asignacion's Facebook account)

OMECO as Punching Bag

His office absorbs all our criticisms and hatred especially during brownouts or power outage. But I will not blame the member-consumers for such reactions because not many of us, unlike those in a boxing gym, was able to realize that a punching bag is always attached to something over it. In the forthcoming issue of Kidlat-Tamaraw, the official newsletter of Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or OMECO, Engr. Alfred A. Dantis has this to impart: “Inch by inch our untiring flesh will take us where development is; where the hearts of our people will walk us through, until we have tendered our rents to the Most Powerful Owner.”

Carrying the theme, “Ang Susi ng Pagbabago Tungo sa Kaunlaran : Matatag at Maayos na supply ng Kuryente, Mabuting Pamamahala at Lakas ng Kamay-Ari!”, OMECO’s 33rd Annual General Membership Assembly or AGMA was held in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro last Sunday, May 27, 2012. Two major issues were settled that would construct major amendments to the EC’s by-laws, specifically on these three areas: the collection of P75.00 membership fee from P 4.00 collected since 1974, the re-districting of District VII (Mamburao, Sta. Cruz and Abra de Ilog) areas (The election dates for each district and other little but relevant details skipped my memory but rest assured that I will keep you all posted.). Another highlight of the recently-concluded AGMA is the oath taking of 3 new and in-coming BOD members namely, Dir. Rodolfo A. Plopinio of Mamburao; Dir. Edelmar P. Ulay of Calintaan and Dir. Ma. Theresa R. Poblador of Sablayan. Two of the former directors, Myrna G. Magno of Magsaysay and Melito C. Pasol of Rizal, were re-elected and they likewise took their oath administered by Abra de Ilog Vice Mayor Floro Castillo. The outgoing directors, Chairman Samuel A. Villar, Vice Chairman Francisco T. Servando and Secretary Arsenio C. Samson were likewise acknowledged. I do not know why Poblador and Ulay did not show up for the event.

In OMECO Annual Report 2011 distributed in Abra AGMA, former chair Samuel A. Villar said; “Ang taong ito ay nagbabadya ng bagong pag-asa at pakikibaka sa mga hamon at katatagan ng ating kooperatiba. Bagong pag-asa dahil sa mahusay na pamunuan at sa napipintong pagsasakatuparan ng Competitive Selection Process (CSP) o ang pagbubukas ng pagkakataon sa mga gustong mamuhunan sa pagsusuplay ng enerhiya sa ating kooperatiba…” Villar is talking about the CSP formally launched in San Jose last January 18, this year and started through conference with potential bidders at Bayview Park Hotel in Manila on April 16, 2012. The previous year, 2011, also marked the framing and approval of Occidental Mindoro Power Supply Plan or the Energy Development Plan 2013-2043 drafted by the EDAG or the Energy Development Advisory Group composed of people coming from different sectors of society. Key EDAG members and Prof. Ronwaldo R. del Mundo of the National Electrical Engineering Center of the University of the Philippines (UP), OMECO’s transactional adviser laid all the schedules from invitation of potential bidders or new power provider (NPP) up to consequent issuance of Notice of Awards.

The CSP was launched by OMECO despite of the fact that there is still a case before a local RTC concerning the so-called “judicial determination” of the Energy Conversion Agreement (ECA) between Island Power Corporation (IPC) and OMECO filed early this year. As expected, IPC filed a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the CSP.

The legal speedball is still swinging so I’ll stop.

Looking from a distance, I think what OMECO needs, aside from those technical and financial accomplishments, is its membership information and development programs. Along this line, the creation of another office that would deal on social responsibility or community relations is imperative. An office that would also mind the everyday social needs of the member consumers. A bagful of humanitarian community service both material and financial. A bagful of charity and relief, empowerment and advocacy. A bag that is more contained with lights than shadows.

And who would dare to punch that bag?...

Gingerbread

I wonder if he felt like bread in an oven that very hour.

Jaime E. Dela Cruz, municipal administrator of LGU-San Jose came to the ceremonial launching of Competitive Selection Process (CSP) for new power providers and the event was initiated by Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or OMECO. Mr. Orlando M. Andres, chief for corporate finance services of NEA-MAG and Ms. Beverly M. Estella, Corporate Staff Specialist A of the Special Planning Division of NPC’s PTSD-SPUG were there last January 28, 2012 for the occasion held in said municipality in Occidental Mindoro. Dela Cruz came along with him a letter from the town's chief executive giving the former the authority to represent the Island Power Corporation (IPC) to “speak for or against” the CSP.

Both Andres and Estella stressed during their separate talks that two of the main objectives of the CSP is to reduce power cost and power reliability will be assured. They also conveyed that their respective agencies support the process. For his part, OMECO General Manager Alfred A. Dantis exhaustively discussed some background information prior to its launching, the Energy Development Plan and the legal grounds to the holding of CSP.

CSP refers to the process wherein a New Power Provider (NPP) is selected through transparent and competitive bidding undertaken by an Electric Cooperative (EC) to secure, among others, the lowest long-term cost of power and services, a transparent procurement process for the fuel used in the generation of power, environmental compatibility with the local area, and the most advantageous implementation schedule.

The meeting went smooth since OMECO chair Samuel A. Villar officially proclaimed its launching until the start of the press conference cum open forum when Alex del Valle insisted that dela Cruz should be asked about the present office address of the IPC in order for to know where the court summon should be addressed. Dela Cruz retorted that he is only there to speak in behalf of the IPC. This prompted OMECO counsel Jose Aguila-Grapilon, former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), to ask dela Cruz if the latter could receive the notice or summon but dela Cruz also declined.

In our huddle after the CSP ceremonial launching, all of us are wondering in what capacity did his principal issued the authorization, was it in his capacity as the town’s chief executive or as owner or former chair or president of IPC?

If dela Cruz didn’t present his boss’ authorization letter and came to the event as municipal administrator or a plain OMECO member-consumer, he couldn’t have been the gingerbread man from the king’s court…

Sharing Electric Dreams with Women of OMECO

While sitting in a meeting of the provincial Multisectoral Electrification Advisory Council or MSEAC held in Buenavista, Sablayan last Saturday, September 17, as guest together with three women employees of Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO), I began to read the pages of a book co-authored by Edicio G. dela Torre, ex-priest, one time leader of the National Democratic Front (NDF), a native of Naujan in Oriental Mindoro, ex-political detainee and former TESDA chair during the Estrada administration. I have known the man since my early years in the (human rights) movement. Our man of the hour was already laicized so I call him “Manong Ed” and every time he addressed me as “Mr. Pamatok” is an affirmation that I am indeed a blogger. Truly, he is one of few former national democrats that I admire and respect most and became an avid follower of his blog called “Between Honesty and Hope”.

The book is called “Electric Dreams” and it has two sections. Its first section deals with de la Torre’s experiences, insights and reflections being an advocate for rural electrification. Generally it provides a look-back on important events of the rural electricity in the land. It also deals with the sweet-bitter "love affair" of the NEA and the ECs. Actually, it is written to commemorate the 40th anniversary of rural electrification in the country. No doubt that “Electric Dreams” is for member-consumers especially to those who are willing to step forward, to those who walk the talk, as leader-advocates for the cause of electric consumer protection just like us members of Serve OMECO Movement or SOM. Manong Ed hit the nail right on its head: “Ordinary consumers do not usually get involved in the affairs of the electric cooperatives (ECs) or consider themselves part of a national rural electrification movement. Their interests are simple – access to reliable power, the lowest possible rates and quick service response to any problem.” Manong Ed is the lead convener of ECAP (Electric Consumers’ Advocacy in the Philippines) where my big boss, Bishop Antonio P. Palang, SVD is the interim national chair.

On his title of choice, de la Torre explains, “It [Electric Dreams] describes what the dream is all about. But there is an added reason for choosing it, and it is in another line of the song: “We’ll always be together/However far it seems…”

The second section of the book is equally interesting for it talks about struggle of women in the electric field. To me as a student reader of “Mulieres Dignitatem”, it is the first book that I’ve read mentioning women as pioneers and pillars of rural electrification in the country. The section entitled “Iluminadas” (“lumen” in Latin is “light”) is written by Marianita C. Villariba. By the way, “Electric Dreams” was published by Education for Life Foundation (ELF) in 2009. To Villariba, “Iluminadas” tells herstory that made the role of Filipino women more visible and valued.

I gladly shared the outline of the book part to Elsa Bawayan, Mylene Acotina and Marian Gotoy, the three OMECO women employees I am with and jokingly asked, “How about if I write a book on OMECO women employees?”, and they just smiled at me. And my follow up question, “How about womanizers in OMECO?” they all laughed in gusto. I immediately informed them that I’m not serious with it but already sensed what made the question very funny.

Ms. Villariba’s part was divided into 4 sub-parts: Women in Electric Cooperatives; Women in the National Electrification Administration (NEA); and, Women’s Leap into the 21st Century. Among other relevant information on the subject, Ms. Villariba made me aware of women around the world that made exemplary achievements or inventions in the electric domain such as Herta Aytron (1854-1923), Mary Ebgke Pennington (1872-1952), Beulah Louise Henry (1887) and Edith Clarke (1883-1959). “Iluminadas” also featured 13 short stories about women who pushed rural electrification and the cause of electric consumers in their respected provinces in the Philippines from the 70s’ to the 80s’.

The story of the struggle of the women employees of Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) in 1986 brings inspiration. BENECO men and women held a protest action carrying placards and steamers declaring, “BENECO, milking cow of BENECO Board.” A woman labor leader named Myla Salbador led the rally from Magsaysay Road to Session Road. In retrospect Salvador said, “We are protesting against unnecessary expenditures, questionable contracts … activities detrimental to survival of cooperative.” The BENECO women were at the frontlines of the barricades that they set against the military and armed men of Aboitiz Group. The BENECO employees are against privatization attempts by the said corporation that time.

In “Electric Dreams” Manong Ed is very hopeful that the struggle for electricity and electrification can be an open door to other dimensions for he wrote, “There is also possibility that as our member-consumers become more active and aware, their experience in participating in the processes of the EC may inspire and enable them to apply what they have learned to their role as active citizens …. Is that too much to hope for? That can be part of the future that is bigger, better than our past.” And that is the reason why I did not turn down the invitation of Ms. Corazon Agustin, OMECO’s membership services division (MSD) to attend the MSEAC meeting. If I may add, half of the provincial MSEAC participants are women. They all have potentials.

In the book twice quoted these words from Clay Shirky, “Revolution doesn’t happen when a society adopts a new technology, it happens when society adopts new behavior.” Women and men of Occidental Mindoro should always be “together in electric dreams” more than their sweet embrace in the darkest hour of power outage….

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(Photo from file of Malu Sarmiento and Kristine Cajilig, also women of OMECO handling the employees cooperative)

Dark Days in My Province

A Power Forum was held last Tuesday, August 9, at the Occidental Mindoro National College (OMNC) Gymnasium in the capital town of Mamburao. While members of the Provincial Legislative Board are busy with the administrative case filed against Mayor Jose T. Villarosa of San Jose, around 200 participants composed of barangay and town officials of Abra De Ilog, Mamburao, Paluan and Sta. Cruz gathered to discuss in impending total blackout this coming 28th of this month due to fuel shortage as disclosed by the NPC-SPUG operating in the whole island. The activity was spearheaded by the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or OMECO and it is geared towards informing the public about said power crisis situation and draw immediate solutions on the matter.

We were informed through his presentation by a Mamburao-based Serve OMECO member Rodolfo A. Plopinio that the three towns in the northern tip of the province had a long history of struggle against power shortage. In April 2002, more than 6,000 households and business establishments in the so-called MAPSA area were affected and caused economic paralysis and hardships in my province. The power blackout that engulfed the province 9 years ago was due to technical problems along the 70-kilometer transmission line because during that time, the MAPSA area is getting its power supply from NPC’s 32-megawatt Power Barge 102 based in Brgy. Balatero in Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.

As a response, Mamburao residents staged series of mass actions protesting the persistent power failure that hampers the trade and agricultural development of the area. Joined by the businessmen, people from the government and the Catholic Church, a series of activities that culminated via a prayer rally at the Mamburao Gymnasium was held first week of April that year. With such action, NPC engineer Ramon Osabel and his men were pressured and able to hurry up the repair of the said faulty and problematic transmission lines. The blackout in ’02 lasted for 7 long days.

Going back to the present crisis and the citizens’ response, there is an on-going signature campaign initiated by OMECO and its support groups to call the attention of P-Noy and immediately intervene on the matter. Manifestos from almost all walks of life are out calling on the investigation on the deep roots of fuel shortages namely in MIMAROPA and specifically in Occidental Mindoro. There are also plans of launching series of campaign activities to ultimately solve the power crisis in Occidental Mindoro both in long and short terms. According to OMECO board chair Samuel Villar, another way of temporary solving it is for OMECO to rent generator sets but it needs consultation first with the member-consumers through district assemblies for we will be additional charge on our electric bill. In short, such expenses will be passed on to consumers. But there are no final touches on this yet.

One thing is certain so far. The two political titans will both claim credits on the issue.

In this crisis that we are facing, the people cannot SOLELY depend on politicians because most of them are suffering from acute messianic complex. Our collective efforts are best needed now. Let us let them know that we already have learned our lessons and join the protests against power shortage, during times of crisis or not.

Fools never learn but let us show those credit hungry people up there that we do. But are we really?...

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(Photo grabbed from Eunice Barbara C. Novio's file)

Total Darkness?

Can you imagine San Jose and rest of Occidental Mindoro is engulfed by total darkness? Your computer is not working including all you electrical appliances. The sound of all types of power generators, portable and stand-bys are so annoying both in public places and offices. Include the pollution that it would emit in the environment. And most of all, the chain of economic and social chaos that this total black out would bring. Brace for Hades folks. This is no doubt hell if there’s no precautionary and long lasting solution to be laid both by people from the power sector, the government and the consumers, hand in hand.

Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) general manager Alfred A. Dantis confirmed to this writer yesterday about the possible run out of the National Power Corporations’ (NPC) electricity supply in the first week of August 2011 due to, according to Dantis, fuel supply shortage. The OMECO Board of Directors and the Multi-Sectoral Electrification Advisory Council or MSEAC were already informed of the matter as early as last week. Series of meetings were scheduled in order to formulate contingency plans for the matter. This event would situate our province from light to darkness, so to speak. In their meeting last July 19 and that was last Tuesday, Engr. Sonny N. Privado have disclosed that GM Dantis who was in Manila that day informed the former thru text that the news came from the officials of NPC Mindoro grid themselves.

No doubt that this “total darkness and electricity-less” scenario would disrupt OMECO’s operation. In the employees meeting, participants were told that since the EC (electric cooperative) is no longer delivering and rendering its services, it is already at the verge of cutting its expenses including the salaries and wages of employees. In said meeting, suggested precautionary measures on the part of the employees were laid.

This is not a hoax and it’s real. In July 8, 2011, the NPC’s Small Power Utilities Groups or SPUGs have issued a status of power run out dates in all Luzon SPUG Plants. In the list, there are 3 power plants that will be affected by fuel shortage in Occidental Mindoro : the Mamburao Modular Plant, Pulang Lupa DPP and the Power Barge 106 which was stationed in Bragy. Caminawit. In a cable message addressed to GM Dantis last July 21, 2011 from Pulang Lupa DPP, said in part : “As of to date, both PLDPP and PB 106 fuel stocks (diesel and bunker) will last until August 6, 2011. PD yet still awaiting additional funding for the purchase of the fuel for the months of September and months onwards. We may request (if you would permit) scheduled or voluntary load cut daily in order to conserve fuel…” People from NPC cannot be reached by a local radio station for comments.

All of us citizens of Occidental Mindoro, specifically those owners of industries consuming a large load of electricity to communicate with Malacanan and the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration or NEA citing how the NPC declared fuel rundown would affect the economy of the province, as suggested by OMECO employees in their meeting last Tuesday.

But worry not even a bit for OMECO people are doing all they can to expedite measures to solve this impending problem. But to tell you honestly, this is NOT Omeco’s much less the consumers’ fault. This power shortage hinges on a bankrupt national policy on power and electricity that I think President Benigno C. Aquino III has not explained, if not totally neglected, in his SONA yesterday.

OMECO plans to hold a forum this coming August 1, 2011 here in their main Office in San Jose tentatively at around 1:00 PM. All of the invited participants will be informed of the real score and the measures that they have been discussing since last week on this “total darkness” thing. In Sablayan, there will be a Power Summit and this surely will also be tackled.

Rest assured that I’ll keep you all posted on this. If the office computer that I am borrowing would be repaired and if there’s no brown out or power shortage or anything of sort. Let us light a little candle. And pray….

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(Photo from Bing)

A Sugar-Free Legislation

As I have a “sweet tooth”, so to speak, for budding and intelligent politicians, I pin high hopes on this talented young legislator from second district of Occidental Mindoro named Marian Haydee “Sugar” G. Villaroza who is now on her second term in office as provincial board member. The first time I met her was last September 16, 2009 in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro while we are both attending the two-day Mindoro LGU-CSO Conference on Mining Moratorium being part of the participants coming from local government units (LGUs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) from all over the island. We were “seat mates” in the activity held at the Provincial Capitol Square of said city and I wrote a story about it via blog entry called "Of True Ants and Truants” two years ago.

I instantly recognized her then being a politician but I doubt if she could still remember me or if she personally know me by now. But things of sort don’t matter to me anymore.

The last time I heard Board Member Villaroza talking was last Monday (March 18) when being interviewed by anchor Alex Del Valle over DWDO-FM in the latter’s program called “Sa Totoo Lang”. The former was discussing about her side on why she retracted her previous nod to a Sangguniang Panlalawigan ordinance adopting the Occidental Mindoro Energy Development Plan crafted and finalized by the Energy Development Advisory Group or EDAG and was presented to the provincial board sometime this month. Said energy development plan is seen as a solution to problematic power situation in the province with regards to, “...below average service performance, inefficient system and neck-deep financial trouble.” Technical people from Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) were sent to the Philippine National Engineering Center (UP-NEC) for series of training and the main objective is to improve planning capabilities to enable the cooperative to keep up with the energy demand of our improving province. The creation of the EDAG was approved by Governor Josephine Y. Ramirez-Sato through Executive Order No. 11-11 s. of 2010. “EDAG is composed of the major players in the energy sector, representatives from the municipal and provincial government and non-government organization,” according to the Executive Summary of said development plan.

In the interview last Monday, Ms. Villaroza stated that she retracted her previous stand on that particular legislative action through a formal letter to the august body. The bottom line of such action, according to her, is the existing and still valid Energy Conversion Agreement (ECA) entered into by and between OMECO and Island Power Corporation or IPC. She admitted that she consulted three prominent personalities on the case and those names she mentioned are key officials and supporters of the IPC and known public officials at that. While I believe that she has all the right to talk to those people, she also has the full responsibility to equally ask the opinion of the OMECO Board, the EC management and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on the status of the ECA even after the presentation to balance her opinion on the matter.

Villaroza further stressed that prior to the tackling of the issue to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, she said in that same interview that she is not aware of the existing ECA between OMECO and IPC. With all respect to the lady lawmaker, this I do not buy.

As early as the 2009 Annual General Membership Assembly of OMECO, there approved a Resolution to cause the rescission of its ECA with IPC because of the latter’s inability to perform its obligation in said contract.

As expected, the OMECO Board resorted to legal action. Atty. Ditas A. Lerios-Amboy, legal counsel for OMECO, wrote a Notice of Termination in September 2009 and she emphasized, “In a letter dated April 2, 2009, the ERC has ruled that the ECA has effectively been superseded by the Power Purchased Agreement entered into by and between NPC and IPC in June 2000 because when the ERC approved the PPA wherein IPC undertook to supply electricity to NPC for the latter to sell to OMECO, the agreement between OMECO and IPC in the ECA wherein IPC will supply electricity directly to OMECO was rendered ineffectual. The ERC explained further that in both the PPA and ECA. IPC undertook to sell the same generating capacity of its plant which is 7 MW. Both agreements cannot subsist at the same time or independently of each other since IPC can generate and supply only from the same 7 MW capacity. Finally, the ERC has directed OMECO to execute and award a new Power Supply Agreement (PSA) in favor of a New Power Provider (NPP)…..

In view of the foregoing continued inability of IPC to perform its obligations in the ECA and pursuant to the ruling of ERC, we are serving this NOTICE to formally inform IPC of OMECO's intent to RESCIND its ECA with IPC to take effect within 15 days from receipt hereof.” At present, as far as the OMECO is concerned, the ECA is already terminated that is why they are looking for the new Independent Power Producer (IPP) consistent with their position and rightly so, we do not have to wait until kingdom come to solve the problem brought about by this one-sided agreement.

The present OMECO Management Board, in the name of member-consumers, opted to go on with the reform, push the energy development plan as an official roadmap to development with utmost urgency and face the legal consequences later.

To synthesize, allow me to quote this gem from the Catholic Catechism for our discernment: “Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it. If rulers were to enact unjust laws or make measures contrary to the moral order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience. In such a case, authority breaks down completely and results in shameful abuse.” (CCC, no. 1903)

We at the Serve OMECO Movement (SOM) believes that the time to implement the energy plan is NOW but Board Member Villaroza thinks otherwise. No doubt, Sugar is free to stand by her own principle and even beyond….

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(Photo: From Bokal Sugar Villaroza's Facebook Account)

The Power to Tax and Taxing Power

Citing Municipal Tax Ordinance No. 743 series of 2007, Mayor Jose T. Villarosa issued a letter addressed to OMECO Manager Alfred A. Dantis informing the latter about the cooperative’s “unpaid tax obligation to the local government of San Jose since 2003.” The letter further stated that billing statements for alleged accounts were already sent by the Municipal Treasurer’s Office but, “not a single centavo has been paid.”

Aside from Municipal Ordinance No. 743, the letter further states that there is a Supreme Court ruling that, “supports and demands for entities like OMECO to pay local taxes” but failed to give basic information on the aforementioned SCRA.

Last August 18, 2010, Dantis responded to Villarosa through a letter signifying the intention of OMECO to comply with Municipal Ordinance No. 743 as long as the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) would allow the cooperative to utilize a payment scheme that would take into consideration OMECO’s present financial status and condition.

It was former Mayor Romulo Festin, Sr. who signed billing statements demanding for the payment which was prepared by the municipal treasurer. OMECO then was headed by its erstwhile General Manager Alex Labrador. Labrador, a known ally of the present mayor, now works with the Municipal Engineering Office of San Jose as consultant. When Labrador resigned at OMECO, the cooperative was believed to be already at the verge of bankruptcy. And the latest National Electrification Administration (NEA)audit findings can attest to this.

If this tax measure will be implemented, the burden would fall on our shoulders, the ordinary member-consumers. It is clear in the letter of Dantis that said tax imposition, “have to be recovered from the member-consumers of San Jose before funds could be made available [?]..” (Bold letters, mine) This tax measure would automatically reflect on our electric bill the moment it is imposed. It’s an additional financial burden for us consumers.

But hopefully, this tax measure - if ultimately imposed - would pave the way for improvement of basic social services for the people of San Jose. With basic services such as education, health, infrastructure and the rest, that came from local taxes,- indeed, we citizens are empowered.

In the same letter, Dantis’ requests to Villarosa are as follows and I am quoting them word for word :

1. “That OMECO be spared of penalties, interests and/or surcharges for the accounts until we could pay the dues – current and amortization of past due obligations – on time after we had the approval from ERC to recover;

2. That OMECO be allowed to spread its payment for the past due obligations for a period of five (5) years minimum – again free from penalties, interests and/or surcharges, on an equal monthly payment basis, and

3. That the charges on poles be limited to those erected in municipal road rights- of- way only, thereby exempting those that are situated on private lots, provincial and national roads?”

I just do not know if the two gentlemen,- Villarosa and Dantis, were already able to sit and talk on the matter. Also, nowhere in both letters gave hint that could lead us directly on what specific tax obligation are they referring to. Was it the charges on service poles?

Calling the attention of those who are privy to the issue and could you inform the public on the details of Municipal Tax Ordinance No. 743? What it is all about? When was it crafted? Who are its authors and sponsors? As a taxpayer and member-consumer of OMECO, could you please educate us on the matter? Please, do not allow such information to be as elusive as our dream of financial stability. Besides, information is power and it is priceless!

What should come first is not the power to tax or taxing power but the empowerment of the taxpayer…

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(Photo from Google images)

When Powers Meet

The two political powers in the province once again had an indirect verbal encounter in the recently-concluded Mainland Occidental Mindoro Power Summit held here in San Jose last Friday, January 16, 2010. As expected, it zeroed- in on the exclusive Energy Conversion Agreement (ECA) between Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or OMECO and the Island Power Corporation or IPC which was penned in the early 90s. For further details on the preparatory phase of the summit, you may click here for my previous write-up in the Mindoro Post.

For me, as an objective on-looker and participant (or at least I am trying to be one!) on our province’s relevant socio-political events, I was able to hear the views of the IPC on said ECA directly from the horse’s mouth. After the somewhat very technical presentation of OMECO OIC general manager Engr. Alfred A. Dantis and the National Power Corporation-Small Power Utilities Group or NPC-SPUG, composed of Engr. Rogelio So and Engr. Melburgo S. Chiu, its vice-president,- designated event moderator, Atty. Rey Tamayo of the De Chavez, Sagayo, Lerios-Amboy Law Offices, gave the floor to former congressman, former governor and now Brgy. Bubog chairman Jose T. Villarosa, in his capacity as the present chairman of the IPC. Tamayo is one of the legal counsels of OMECO coming from said law firm.

The NPC-SPUG is mandated by law to undertake the electrification of areas not connected to the main transmission grid, also referred to as Missionary Areas. IPC is the sole Independent Power Producer (IPP) who operated in the province since 1992 but ceased to operate more than five years ago. There is an existing legal contest between IPC and OMECO pending at the Energy Regulatory Board (ERB) on the controversial ECA. Unluckily, no single representative from ERB came to clarify things.

Villarosa exhaustively discussed how IPC came into the picture saying it was the solution to the energy crisis being experienced by the province and the whole country then. According to Villarosa, the late OMECO GM Col. Zoilo Perez (ret) along with other leaders coming from different sectors solicited his assistance as our congressman to address said crisis. In his presentation, the former solon cited specific provision on the agreement, its present status as far as the IPC is concerned which I think I am not in the liberty to elaborate for as I have previously stated, the case is still pending at ERC as a quasi-judicial body. I am afraid that I might touch some merits of the case. So, I opted not to. By the way, Villarosa said that one of the two power generators of IPC is still running and has the capacity to generate as long as OMECO will provide them fuel, contrary to the allegation that the IPC generators are now just pieces of scrap.

Toward the end of his talk, Villarosa also emphasized that IPC has an uncollectible amount of more or less P 168 million to OMECO. He even added that there is a possibility that IPC would take over OMECO if the amount will not be settled but Tamayo hold firm to his decision that corresponding legal action from OMECO is expected if the take-over will be pursued. Dantis immediately responded that the cooperative does not acknowledge such loan but he did not elaborate why. Villarosa added that the IPC have already transacting with Cigawatt Power Corporation, reportedly a Filipino-American consortium with net asset of P 1.5 billion and intends to operate a 20 megawatt power plant. He assured that the power it will generate would be sufficient for the province and for him, it’s the most possible solution to the current crisis. Villarosa even said that there is a possibility that they would take over OMECO and the power generation and distribution in the province. But Mayor Romulo M. Festin, Villarosa’s closest rival for this town’s mayoralty post, stood up and said that the coming up of a new supplier would not be the issue of the day until ERB settled the legal question. For Festin, OMECO and IPC should first settle the Motion for Reconsideration on the revocation of the ECA between the two entities before the perceived coming of another IPP.

Governor Josephine Y. Ramirez-Sato was among the participants who took part in the open forum. Sato initially said that he is not sharing her view as a governor but as a lawyer and most of all, as member-consumer. Sato proposed to Tamayo some legal steps to undertake and the latter duly noted the suggestions from her. The governor further suggests that a manifesto should be finalized as major output of the summit. She called for the people to rally behind OMECO, NEA and NPC and if needed, pressure the ERC for speedy trial and finality of the case. She said that proper processes should be made to decide on which interested IPP to come and assure that review components are embodied in the contracts and learn from the past.

This are just the highlights that I want to share in the meantime. Other people who were there at the summit are most welcome to share their insights on the comment section of this post. I really realized a lot of things from this summit. As former TESDA director and ECAP (Electric Cooperative Advocacy of the Philippines) national president Mr. Edicio dela Torre have noticed, there is a dire need to organize local ECAP not only in Occidental but for the whole Mindoro island so the holding of an island-wide summit is necessary. Most especially with the existence of EPIRA or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, especially after 2010 elections, there is a need to review national government’s policy on power and energy. But hopefully, let us pray that there will be reliable power supply this coming elections.

I realized too that in order for me to lord over in this part of the island, I’ll establish and wield power camouflaged as a service-oriented political and economic effort but in fact sustain my private corporation.

And my constituents will just sigh and say : “Ay, pes(t)e!” …

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(Photo from the Save OMECO File. Candle ceremony in one of the rallies last year)

SOM : The <3%

The e-mail with attachments sent to me last Tuesday, July 7, 2009, by Engr. Omar C. Costibolo, co-convener of the Save OMECO Movement or SOM, talked about a concept called “The Three Percent”. I found out later from the net that there is also an online organization called ThreePercenter.Org who claimed to be working to promote the ideals of liberty, the exercise of freedom and promotion of constitutional government restrained by law in the States. The group also stated that, “We embrace the American Resistance Movement (ARM) philosophy and as such use the ARM logo as a means to identify our message and our cause.” Do not get me wrong. I do not support armed struggle or violence as means in pursuit of socio-political reform. I am a Church lay worker and I am for a gun-less society. I also hate the idea of organizing militias, even those state-sponsored like the CAFGU and other paramilitary units. And I hate math as well.

Costibolo explained further that, “Although the idea is invoked by the an anti-gun control movement in the US, this could also apply to any political activism or other movements for meaningful change in society.” Again, forget about the philosophy, ideals, objectives and means of ARM or any of the militant groups in Uncle Sam’s territory or elsewhere. Let us focus more on the socio-political issues and realities in Occidental Mindoro especially our latest struggle to save the Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative or OMECO. And here’s Kuya Omar again for you: “We may be less that 3% of OMECO member-consumers but we have made some meaningful changes.”

Parallel to the supplemental readings supplied by the Premiere Photo proprietor, the Save OMECO Movement or SOM surely would not amount to 3% compared to its total number of member-consumer reaching 45,000+. Indeed, we maybe supported by perhaps 10% of the member-consumers. In addition to the movement there is perhaps another 20% who favored our cause but did little or nothing to support it. Another 1/3 of the members sided with the former GM (General Manager), his cohorts and their political patron,- and the final third took no side, blew with the wind and passively accepted everything. But we succeeded.

In a Narrative Report by SOM on its OMECO involvement subtitled “The SOM : A Moral Force to Reckon With”, it is written : “The SOM is a loose organization composed of member-consumers, OMECO employees and the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose, specifically its social action arm, the Social Services Commission (SSC). It is somewhat a network of organizations from different sectors with the whole of Occidental Mindoro as its area of concern. The SOM is still a non-formal group but the members conduct regular meeting and it had been lately the forerunner of various campaigns with the objective of saving our cooperative.” We have initially won the battle but not yet the war. But this victory would be our take-off point for the formal organizing and the establishment of organizational structures of the SOM. With this, the SOM will become part and parcel of a nationwide umbrella of power stakeholders. This would also paved the way towards strengthening a responsive and viable electric consumer movement not only in Occidental Mindoro, but the country as a whole.

Indeed, our SOM involvement have reminded us that history,- through better or worse, cure or curse, is made by determined and courageous minorities. And the SOM is one such minority and so too are the group who are against us. What remains, then, is the test of will and skill to determine WHO shall shape the future of our beloved province: them or us?

If only 3% of the total population of our province willing to sacrifice their lives and limbs for social transformation, willing to do thankless grind of social activism, willing even to occasionally lose battles but not the war. With these people around, the less than 3% is truly a moral force to reckon with, even without guns…

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(Photo grabbed from iranheritage.org taken by Kaveh Golestan)

Rebuilding OMECO

At long last, after almost a decade, the 30th OMECO Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) which has become so elusive to the people of San Jose due to the BOD’s deliberate stand to hold it in other far flung municipalities of Occidental Mindoro for reasons known only to them is ours to savor comes 31 May 2009 for it will become an avenue where matters of critical importance besetting our beloved cooperative could be ventilated and thereby addressed.

Middle of year 2005, after ascertaining the facts relative to the very alarming and worsening financial condition of our cooperative based on valid documents which comes to our possession via underground, as we were not provided same by then General Manager Alex Labrador in spite of several request, OMECO is fast sinking like a boat and nearing to go bankrupt if we just let things pass by.

Showing our deep concerns to the plight of our ailing cooperative, we immediately inform the BOD’s and the top management of the true standing of the cooperative because it appeared that they do not have the deeper grasp of what is going on in their turf. We also asked them to institute drastic reform measures so that the unabated depreciation of OMECO’s resources could be curtailed as the situation then is perceived to be still manageable in over-turning its negative operating performance.

We make certain our demand of terminating the services of Mr. Alex Labrador based on legal grounds as he is no longer effective and competent to remain in his post. But instead of appreciating our concerns, we are rebuffed for no justifiable reasons and everything goes on as a big big joke. Why? Simply because the BOD’s issued a resolution expressing their confidence to GM Labrador instead of terminating him for cause! Hopeless of the situation, we brought our predicaments to NEA with a prayer for their definitive actions as they exercise regulatory powers over the cooperative. Sad to say, NEA failed also to take determinant acts as they always tossed the ball to the BOD’s that is not so responsive to the issues.

The struggle continued for three (3) long years and the price of inactions by both the BOD’s and the NEA exacted a great toll on us member-consumers as the true owner of the cooperative and in which they are fully accountable. And as we have feared long before, our OMECO greatly retrogressed and went technically BANKCRUPT since its capital base assets were not even enough to compensate for all of its obligations.

The combination of forces of some concerned citizens, the church and the disgruntled employees of OMECO led to the creation of a de facto SAVE OMECO MOVEMENT which bannered coordinated efforts for the needed reform in the cooperative. Its no let-up advocacies eventually forced the BOD’s and the NEA to take definitive actions over Mr. Alex Labrador which compelled him to voluntarily end his services as General Manager of OMECO. The rest is history.

NOW is the opportune time for us to do our share in the rehabilitation of our beleaguered OMECO where efforts to make it financially viable are next to impossible because of the following factors:

1. OMECO is cash stripped and do not have much resources to meet the on-going concerns of its day to day operation.

2. OMECO’S deficit in spending is at the average of 2.5M a month.

3. OMECO could not generate additional revenue to augment its cash position because its present distribution system cannot accommodate expansion.

4. OMECO has no cash for the needed materials necessary to reduce system loss. Reduction in system loss will translate to a valuable cash inflow for OMECO.

5. OMECO indebtedness to NPC for unpaid power bill, E-Vat, interest charges, surcharges and penalties is now at the benchmark of 250M. NPC demanded OMECO to be current in its payment; otherwise, power supply cut-off will be imposed on a periodic basis.

6. OMECO does not have the cash to pay the member-consumers meter deposits which has been ordered by ERC to be refunded comes 2011.

Viewed in the light of the foregoing circumstances, we are therefore appealing for the continued support of the Kamay-ari on the following course of actions that we deemed proper and urgently necessary in propelling back OMECO into a financially viable cooperative, viz:

1. An action requesting NEA to extend emergency financial and technical assistance to the comprehensive recovery/rehabilitation plan of OMECO.

2. An action requesting NPC to extend more considerations and leeway’s in their treatment of OMECO outstanding obligations by way of condoning the interest, penalties and surcharges on its account and by allowing onother restructuring of debts to loan with a longer duration and with the General Appropriations Act of 2009 as the legal basis.

3. An action requesting NPC to offset the amount of Php38M+ paid by OMECO to Fabmik as genset rentals against its collectibles to the cooperative in the spirit of cooperation and due observance of the missionary mission of NPC as enunciated by the EPIRA law. OMECO under the current set-up should only be in the business of power distribution. Power generation in the missionary areas like ours is the domain of NPC.

4. An action declaring the meter deposits which are due for refund by 2011 as ordered by ERC to be an additional patronage capital of member-consumers with certain qualification.

5. An action directing the OMECO’s management to implement massive cost reduction in the areas of system loss, operational expenditures and personnel retrenchment.

6. An action requesting the Mother of the Province of Occidental Mindoro, Governor Josephine Ramirez Sato whose mandate emanate from us to help in whatever manner in the implementation of the comprehensive recovery/rehabilitation plan of OMECO.

7. An action requesting the League of Mayors of the Province of Occidental Mindoro to help in whatever manner in the implementation of the comprehensive recovery/rehabilitation plan of OMECO.

8. An action to amend some provisions of the cooperative By-Laws which are found to be no longer responsive as of recent time.

9. An action calling for the immediate constitution of the Multi-Sectoral Electrification Advisory Council (MSEAC) so that the ten (10) sectoral components of the community could have a share in the effective governance of OMECO.

10. An action requesting NPC to fastrack the completion of their 69 KV lines from Calapan, Oriental Mindoro all the way to San Jose, Occidental Mindoro via Abra de Ilog and also the probable interconnection of Mindoro Island to Main Luzon Transmission Grid of Transco via submarine cables as the pegged power supply requirement of 50MW for the two (2) provinces has already been attained. These will guarantee the cooperative to have sufficient power to distribute and the power consumers to be assured of reliable and dependable power supply at present and future power requirement levels.

11. An action calling for an increase participation of member-consumers through an Special Assembly Meeting (if AGMA is not yet forthcoming) before the cooperative through the BOD’s and the management could enter into any power supply contract with qualified power providers as we have sad and bitter lessons to reckon in this.

12. An action calling for the authorization of the Save Omeco Movement representatives to the BOD’s to become Ex-Officio members (2 permanent and 2 alternate) effective immediately and will remain only up to the duration of recovery process.

Coupled all of the above with the emergence of vibrant and responsible Directors in the BOD’s, the manifested enthusiasm and firm convictions to govern effectively on the part of the new management, the ultimate resolved of the Save Omeco Movement to be part and parcel of the critical planning and policy promulgations, the avowed intervention of local government units to help in whatever manner they can, and of course, the Kamay-ari extending their full trust and confidence during the recovery process, we believe OMECO can be great once again.

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(Note: This piece is originally entitled "OMECO: Rebuilding the Ruins to Prominence; An Appeal to "Kamay-Ari" to Make the Cooperative Great Again" written by Mr. Joaquin "Jake" L. Castronuevo, SAVE Omeco Convener; Photo: SSC File)

Ang Pakikisangkot ay Tungkulin

Linggo na. Eleksiyon ngayon para sa uupong Board of Director ng Occidental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (OMECO) para sa nasasakupan ng Unang Distrito ng Bayan ng San Jose. Ang distritong ito ay sumasakop sa mga barangay ng San Agustin, Central, San Isidro (dating Canwaling), Bubog, Bagong Sikat, San Roque, Pag-Asa, Caminawit, ang buong Isla ng Iling at Poblacion Uno hanggang Otso. Ang mga kandidato ay sina Aquino “Panong” Acla, Jr; Rogelio “Roger” Balayan; Tirso “Bong” Espiritu; Eliseo “Junior” Lising, Jr.; at Alex Peralta. Si Acla ay dating Association of Barangay Council (ABC) president at dating Kapitan ng Brgy. Bubog. Si Balayan naman ay Municipal Election Officer ng COMELEC habang si Lising ay dating kapitan ng Brgy. Pag-Asa at isang kilalang negosyante. Si Espiritu ay empleyado ng Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) at lider ng Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) at si Peralta ay retiradong manedyer ng Metrobank dito sa amin na umano ay lider din ng isang sekta ng relihiyon. Lima silang magsasalpukan sa mga presinto hanggang mamayang alas tres ng hapon at sa bandang pa-gabi na ay malalaman na natin kung sino sa kanila ang mananalo.

Noong ang Save OMECO Movement ay naghahanap ng sasama sa pagkilos para i-expose at kondenahin ang mga anomalya sa loob ng kooperatiba, mabibilang mo lamang sa daliri ang mga naniwala sa aming pakay at layunin mula sa mga grupo ng tinatawag na middle forces. Halos lahat sila ay hindi man lamang namin nakasama sa aming mga pagkilos kontra sa maling pamamalakad ng kooperatiba. Ang ilan pa nga ay hindi lamang hindi nakikisangkot kundi pinagtawanan pa kami dahil wala rin naman umanong patutunguhan ang mga ginagawa naming ito. Mayroon pang patagong sumusuporta sa GM at mga kakutsaba niya. Pero bakit kaya ngayon ay nag-kukumahog silang maging direktor gayung hindi naman malaki ang honorarium kumpara sa kanilang mga kinikita at sinasahod? Ano bang meron sa OMECO at marami ang nagkakandarapang maging direktor nito? Sabi nila, mas madali raw magkaroon ng kontrata o kutsabahan sa mga kontratista kapag direktor ka, lalo na kapag kasapakat ninyo ang General Manager o GM nito o ang mga pulitikong may malinaw na interes sa kasalukuyang negosyo ng enerhiya sa lalawigan.

Ang labis ko ring ipinagtataka ay kung bakit sa pagpili kung sino ang mamumuno sa ilang tukoy na programa ng Simbahan, halimbawa sa mga gawaing pastoral nito ay walang boluntaryong nagtatalaga ng sarili at kung mayroon mang mahihirang ay pilitan pa, samantalang kapag ganitong may eleksiyon ay halos ipag-gitgitan nila ang kanilang mga sarili? Halimbawa pa. Bakit kung ang isang pari ay mahihirang na Obispo, kung maaari lamang ay hindi niya ito tanggapin samantalang sa pulitika ay mas marami ang ipinagigitgitan ang sarili?

May isang kilalang babaeng guro na inalok ng Save OMECO Movement na tumakbo para sa BOD Election pero hindi niya ito tinanggap. Ang katwiran niya ay ito: “Sasama na lang ako at mamumuno sa mga susunod pang pagkilos kagaya ng rally kaysa sa tumakbo sa eleksyon!” Siya nga naman. Ang laban para sa BOD ay isang maliit na tuldok lamang ng malawak na proseso ng pagsasalba sa ating kooperatiba sa kuryente na magagawa ng isang member-consumer. Ang higit na laban dito ay kung papaano mababantayan ang mga namumuno sa kooperatiba, papaano maigigiit ng mga miyembro ang kanilang mga karapatan, papaano magkakaroon ng bahagi sa pamamahala nito. Mga bagay na mas malawak kaysa sa eleksiyon. Mga bagay na mas makabuluhan, kundi man kasing kabuluhan ng pagiging direktor.

Sabi ko kanina, maraming mga kandidato ang hindi man lamang ginamit ang kanilang impluwensiya sa mga organisasyong kanilang pinamumunuan o may impluwensiya sila para makilahok noon sa pagsasalba ng OMECO. Bagkus ay mas pinili nilang manahimik at hindi makasakit ng damdamin ng mga naging sanhi ng pagka-lugmok at kawalang katarungan sa loob ng OMECO. Ewan ko. Ibabalita ko na lang sa susunod ang kandidatong pinalad...

Pero sa kanyang sulatin na pinamagatang “Participation is Duty” ni Bishop Antonieto D. Cabajog D.D. ng Surigao, sinabi niya na : “Duty should not be taken as something imposed from the outside. It comes from within, from the inner drive to participate. Thus the kind of participation one possesses is free and responsible. Free in the sense that one’s participation is voluntary, generously coming from self. Participation stems from a right and a duty inherent in a person…”

Kung ay pakikisangkot (sa halalang ito) ay isang tungkulin, natural na palagi ang kabutihan ng mga member-consumer ang ating nanaisin at hindi ang kanilang kapahamakan. Dagdag pa nga ni Bishop Cabajog: “Every active and public participation always involve the common good. It pertains to upholding moral and social responsibilities…” Magwagi man o matalo sa isang partikular na larangan ng pakikibaka.

Sino man ang manalo sa halalang ito, patuloy na kikilos ang Save OMECO Movement para sa kapakanan ng mga member-consumer hindi lamang sa loob ng prosesong elektoral. Magiging kasama kaya natin sa layuning ito at sa mga susunod pang pagkilos ang mga kandidatong matatalo? Palagay mo?

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(Photo: SSC File)