Pinoy Weekly | Mamamayan ang ‘may-ari’: Paglaban ng mga Albayano vs pagsasapribado ng kuryente

Posted: 07 Jan 2014 11:41 AM PST Pag-okupa ng mga konsiyumer sa Aleco compound para pigilan ang pagsasapribado sa serbisyo ng kuryente sa Albay. (Arkibong Bayan) Inokupa kamakailan ng mahigit 100 konsiyumer ng kuryente sa probinsiya ng Albay ang compound ng Albay Electric Cooperative (Aleco). Ang kanilang pakay: pigilan ang turnover ng operasyon ng Aleco sa San Miguel Corp., dambuhalang kompanya na mas sikat sa mga produktong alak pero isa sa mga kompanyang pinakamalaki ang kita sa pagsasapribado ng industriya ng kuryente sa Pilipinas. Tutol ang naturang mga konsiyumer at grupo sa ilalim ng Aleco Multisectoral Stakeholders Organization (AMSSO) sa pagsasapribado ng serbisyo ng kuryente. Nitong Enero 7 nakatakdang tuluyang ipasa ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Albay ang operasyon ng Aleco sa San Miguel Power Holdings Corp. sa ilalim ng San Miguel Corp. (SMC). Pero Enero 6 pa lamang nang okupahin ng humigit-kumulang 100 konsiyumer ang naturang compound para ihayag ang pagtutol nila sa takeover ng naturang pribadong kompanya na anila’y tiyak na magdudulot ng tanggalan sa mga empleyado at pagtaas ng singil sa kuryente. Fr. Alex Bercasio, isa sa mga nanguna sa mga konsiyumer na nagprotesta sa turnover ng Aleco sa San Miguel Corp. (Arkibong Bayan) Kumprontasyon sa Aleco Kasama ng mga konsiyumer sa okupasyon ang mga empleyado ng Aleco na tatlong buwan nang nakawelga matapos ang anila’y kuwestiyonableng referendum sa 9,000 kabahayan na pumapayag umano sa Public Sector Participation (PSP) sa operasyon ng naturang kooperatiba ng kuryente noong Setyembre 14. Nagdeploy ng mga pulis ang lokal na pamahalaan sa compound noong Enero 6 para pigilan ang okupasyon ng mga konsiyumer at empleyado. Noong Enero 7, nagpapunta pa ang lokal na Philippine National Police (PNP) ng bomb squad nito. Ayon kay Vince Casilihan, isa sa mga tagapagsalita ng AMSSO, may mga konsiyumer at tagasuporta nila ang nasaktan nang tangkaing paalisin ng mga pulis na may truncheonsang mga nagpoprotestang konsiyumer. Kabilang sa mga nasaktan ang mga nakikipagnegosasyon sa ngalan ng AMSSO na sina Fr. Alex Bercasio, Tessa Lopez ng Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Bicol at Madonna Gay Escio, abogado at vice-president for Luzon ng National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL). Nasaktan din si Pastor Dan Balucio ng United Church of Christ in the Philippines o UCCP at Bayan-Bicol nang puwersahang isara ng mga guwardiya at pulis ang gate ng Aleco. “Mga guwardiya at pulis ang nag-provoke sa mga nagrali. We are just invoking as the rightful owner of Aleco,” sabi pa ni Casilihan. Kinumpirma ni Albay Gov. Joey Salceda ang naturang komprontasyon ng mga konsiyumer at pulis. Pero sa mga pahayag niya sa midya, minaliit niya ang naturang pagtigil sa turnover sa Aleco. Sinabi naman ni Energy Sec. Carlos Jericho Petilla na nag-usap na ang lokal na pamahalaan at mga pinuno sa rehiyon ng PNP para “maayos” ang sitwasyon. Pero iginiit ng AMSSO na karapatan nila ang pigilan ang turnover. Anila, kung maisasapribado ang Aleco ay tiyak ang tanggalan ng mga empleyado at tataas ang singil sa kuryente sa Albay. Hindi rin umano dumaan sa tamang proseso ang pagsasapribado nito. Para bigyang katwiran ang pribatisasyon Sinabi ni Casilihan na kinukuwestiyon nila ang batayan ng pagpasok ng San Miguel sa operasyon ng Aleco. Noong Hulyo 31, pinutulan ng kuryente ng National Grid Corp. (NGCP), na siyang namamahala sa transmission system ng kuryente sa bansa, ang Aleco dahil sa mga utang nito na PhP 1 Bilyon sa power generators at mahigit PhP 3-B sa NGCP, Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Psalm) at National Electrification Administration (NEA). Mga konsiyumer ng kuryente sa Albay ang nagdusa sa kawalan ng kuryente. Pinresyur ng NGCP at Department of Energy ng administrasyong Aquino na “solusyonan” ang problemang pampinansiya nito. Aktibong iminungkahi ng NEA ang pagsasapribado sa Aleco, o pagpasok sa isang PSP. Naibalik lamang ang kuryente sa Albay matapos magbayad ang Aleco ng inisyal na PhP 19 Milyon at magbuo ng isang plano para mabayaran ang mga utang. Ayon sa AMSSO, talamak sa Aleco manedsment ang korupsiyon at matagal nang di napangangasiwaan nang maayos ang pinansiya nito. Sa isang komentaryo na sinulat ni Casilihan sa Bicol Today, isang online news site sa rehiyong Bikol, sinabi niyang may magandang rekord-piskal at maituturing na epektibong electricity distribution facility ang Aleco mula 1972 hanggang 1994. Pero nang mapasailalim ito ng pangangasiwa ng NEA at maipagkaisa ang operasyon ng Aleco I, II, at III, lumaki ang mga pagkakautang nito. Ikinumpara ni Casilihan ang Aleco sa buong industriya ng kuryante sa bansa. Isinapribado ang industriyang ito sa ilalim ng Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) noong 2001. Dating monopolisado ng National Power Corp. (Napocor) na pag-aari ng gobyerno ang industriya ng kuryente. Pero malaki ang pagkakautang ng Napocor, at ito ang ginawang katwiran ng administrasyong Arroyo para sa isabatas ang Epira. Nang maipatupad ang Epira, “(a)bout fifty two percent (52%) of the power industry (were) controlled by three(3) big private corporations – San Miguel Corporation(SMC), the Aboitiz, and the Lopezes,” sabi ni Casilihan. Matapos ang 10 taon ng implementasyon ng Epira, halos hindi lumiit ang utang ng Napocor: mula US$ 16.4-B, naging US$ 15.8-B pa ito noong 2010. Samantala, Pilipinas na ang may pinakamahal na kuryente sa buong Asya, at pangatlo sa buong mundo. Inaasahang ganito rin ang mangyayari sa serbisyo ng kuryente sa Albay sa pagsasapribado ng Aleco. Kuwestiyonableng referendum? Kung kaya nagmungkahi ang AMSSO:  kasama sa itinutulak nilang pagtugon sa problemang piskal ng Aleco ang Cooperative-to-Cooperative (C2C) Partnership Plan, na isang praktika ng pagtutulungan sa pagitan ng mga kooperatiba, para masolusyonan ang problemang piskal ng Aleco na sanhi umano ng power outages sa probinsiya at idinadahilan ng manedsment para ipasok ang SMC. Sa ilalim ng C2C, makikipagsosyo ang Aleco sa Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) para maiahon ang operasyon ng nauna. Hindi kikita ang Beneco sa naturang kasunduan–gagawin nila ito para matulungan ang isang kapwa kooperatiba. Pero ang itinutulak ng manedsment ng Aleco, ang PSP (katawagang nangangahulugan din ng pagsasapribado) . Sa PSP, inaasahang kikita ang SMC mula sa pagsasaayos ng operasyon ng Aleco. Inaasahang kabilang sa “pagsasaayos” ang pagtaas ng singil sa mga konsiyumer ng kuryente sa Albay. Nito lamang Disyembre, humiling na umano ng pagtaas sa singil ng kuryente ang manedsment ng Aleco kahit walang konsultasyon sa mga konsiyumer. Sa General Assembly ng Aleco noong Nobyembre 30, 2011, ibasura nito ang opisyong PSP. Pero ipinilit ito ng manedsment sa pamamagitan ng isang “espesyal na General Assembly” noong Marso 24, 2012. Naitulak ang pagsasagawa ng isang referendumnoong Setyembre 14, 2013. Ayon sa AMSSO, bukod sa walang legal na batayan ang referendum, kuwestiyonable rin umano ang prosesong dinaanan nito. Anila, ang ipinrisintang panukala para sa PSP ay “mistulang kinopya” sa C2C. Ayon sa opisyal na pahayag n AMSSO, parang pinalitan lang umano ang “Beneco” ng SMC sa naturang panukala, para maging kaakit-akit sa mga boboto sa referendum. At sa mismong botohan noong Setyembre 14, umabot lang sa 4.8 porsiyento ng mga miyembro-konsiyumer ang dumating para bumoto. Samantala, ang legal requirementpara sa anumang korporasyon ay 5 porsiyento. Itinatanggi ng manedsment ng Aleco, pero iginigiit ng AMSSO na nagkaroon ng “malawakang pagbili ng boto”. “There was massive vote-buying amounting to P20, P50 and P150 perpetrated by pro-PSP politicians specially among the members of barangay power associations (BAPA). Pro-PSP voters were hauled. Voting centers were relocated to necessitate travel by member-consumers. Aleco funds, barangay vehicles and other government resources were used in favor of PSP,” pahayag pa ng AMSSO. Ang resulta ng kuwestiyonableng “referendum”: 5,500 sa 9,000 botante ang pumabor sa PSP. Ilang araw lamang matapos ng referendum, noong Setyembre 18, naglabas ang Board of Directors ng Aleco ng notice ng paggawad ng concession sa SMC para sa operasyon ng Aleco. Ginamit ng Aleco manedsment ang buong puwersa ng gobyerno para tangkaing supilin ang protesta ng mga konsiyumer. (Arkibong Bayan) Mamamayan ang ‘may-ari’ Iginigiit ng AMSSO na mayorya ng mga konsiyumer-miyembro ay di-pabor sa pagpasok ng pribadong interes. Lalong tututulan nila ito kung malalamang sa kasaysayan ng pagsasapribado ng serbisyo ng kuryente sa bansa–halimbawa, ang operasyon ng dambuhalang pribadong kompanya na Manila Electric Company (Meralco) sa Kamaynilaan–di tumaas kundi lalong nagmahal ang presyo ng kuryente sa pagtagal ng panahon. Pag-aari rin ng SMC ang halos 22 porsiyento ng Meralco. (Basahin ang balita hinggil sa mga protesta kontra labis na paniningil ng Meralco.) “Sa ganitong kalagayan, wala nang maaasahan pa ang mga Albayano kundi ang kanilang sariling lakas upang pigilan ang 25 hanggang 50 taong pananamantala ng San Miguel Corporation (25-50 years ang concession ng SMC sa Aleco)…Kaming mga konsiyumer ay binabawi ang Aleco,” pahayag ng AMSSO, nang kanilang okupahin ang Aleco compound. Anila, mga mamamayang tagakonsumo ng kuryente ang may-ari ng Aleco, kung kaya sila rin ang dapat masunod kung papaano maibabangon ang kanilang kooperatiba. BASAHIN: Sidebar | Aleco at ang industriya ng kuryente sa Albay

Sidebar | Aleco and power service in Albay Posted: 07 Jan 2014 11:14 AM PST From the Backgrounder provided by Aleco Multisectoral Stakeholders Organization (Jan. 4, 2013) Background: Albay has had electricity since the turn of the 20th Century. Evidence of this are photographs taken during the early days of the American Period. 1950s – 1975: LEALDA (Legazpi Albay Daraga) Electric Company served Legazpi Port District, Albay District, and Daraga; it was owned by the Benito family; electricity was expensive for the ordinary household could afford only a fluorescent lamp; after a typhoon it took months before service was totally restored 1972 – Albay Electric Cooperative was established in the Third District 1975 – President Marcos visited Albay; the people shouted, “We want electricity!” LEALDA was abolished; ALECO was established as the sole provider in the entire province 1972 – 94: ALECO was well-managed and had no serious problem 1994: Influential entities and persons started to interfere in ALECO affairs; ALECO’s woes began; corruption became rampant 2000s: ALECO problems worsened; debts mounted; Legazpi Diocese was asked to get engaged; NEA and NPC alternately managed ALECO; corruption and crisis continued to hound ALECO July 17, 2008: Operation and Management Contract with NPC was approved by ALECO Board of Directors; losses for 2008 declined to P261 M from P401 M in 2007 July 2009: the OM Contract was renewed by the DOE*; ALECO posted a positive P153 M net income November 13, 2009: the DOE, NEA and the Office of the Solicitor-General endorsed to NPC the re-extension of the contract through Resolution No. 65; NPC, in turn, approved the re-extension for two years through Resolution 2009-68 February 22, 2010: OM Contract was suddenly terminated by ALECO BOD, citing that it had expired and NPC assets had passed to PSALM April 23, 2010: Bishop Joel Z. Baylon issued Pastoral Letter against privatization July 28, 2010: public forum on ALECO crisis organized by Social Action Center, ALECO, and other stakeholders; inspired by the Bishop’s Pastoral Letter, civil society groups led by SAC organized the Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders Committee which later evolved into the Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders Coalition and ALECO Multi-Sectoral Stakeholders Organization (AMSSO); on January 23, 2013 AMSSO was registered with SEC on the advice of Bishop Baylon September 2010: MSSC convened a General Assembly of member-consumers; resolution calling for resignation of OIC Realoza and BOD was passed, among others October 2010: Crisis Committee was formed by political leaders; Bishop Baylon was invited to be Chairman October 2010 to January 2011: campaign to oust ALECO Management Team and BOD intensified; march and picket staged by MSSC February 2011:  Realoza and BOD resigned; NEA sent its Management Team under PS Paulino Lopez March 2011: MSSC proposed restoration of OM Contract with NPC; DOE declined May 14, 2011: NEA proposed the Special Payment Arrangement; Special General Membership Assembly approved June 2011: NEA added 3 conditions to SPA (voluntary payment, P7M monthly prudential guarantee, default provision) October 2011: NEA Management Team cited inability to solve ALECO problems; MSSC accidentally met Prof. Rowaldo del Mundo and Prof. Editha Espos of UP-NEC and Engr. Gerardo Versoza, GM of BENECO; Cooperative-to-Cooperative Partnership was designed November 2011: Crisis Committee, NEA and DOE proposed Private Sector Participation and formation of Interim Board November 30, 2011 – in a Special General Membership Assembly NEA and Crisis Committee allowed PSP to be presented; when it was the turn of MSSC to present C2C, the Crisis Committee requested the emcee to let Congressmen Fernando Gonzalez and Edcel Lagman talk in favor of PSP; after their speeches, C2C was brushed aside and a vote on PSP and formation of an Interim Board was rushed; the assembly rejected PSP and Interim Board by a vote of 315 vs 155 December 10, 2011 - the MSSC met with Bishop Baylon; public presentation of C2C was agreed upon December 22, 2011 – public presentation of C2C was held in De Guzman Hall of Aquinas University; present were Bishop Baylon, Prof. Wally del Mundo of UP-NEC, Engr. Gerry Versoza and Engr. Lito Villarey of BENECO March 24, 2012 – a Special General Membership Assembly approved the conversion of the Crisis Committee into the Interim Board of Directors (IBOD); the participants were separated among Tabaco, Legazpi and Ligao; in Legazpi the IBOD was given the mandate to look for “solutions” to ALECO’s problems; in Ligao and Tabaco, only the conversion of the Crisis Committee into an Interim Board was approved; IBOD began to claim it is authorized to implement PSP December 2012 to January 2013: with no private company coming forward to propose, the IBOD agreed to implement Cooperative-to-Cooperative Partnership; DBP offered to lend P 1 billion at 8% interest; PEMC counter-offered with 2.5%; the IBOD turned down DBP; when the IBOD tried to formalize an agreement with PEMC, the latter backed out; the IBOD returned to DBP but the bank refused February 1, 2013: in a meeting, PS Veronica Briones announced that if the IBOD would choose C2C, NEA would leave ALECO because the agency wants PSP; the IBOD voted unanimously to adopt PSP (evidence: minutes of the IBOD meeting) April 4, 2013:  in a press conference, the IBOD announced its decision to adopt PSP May 2013: the AMSSO, formerly the MSSC, filed a petition for TRO against the implementation of PSP; it was granted; the AMSSO filed a Motion for Prohibition to Bid; decision on the case was so delayed it was overtaken by events July 16, 2013: AMSSO, IBOD and other parties held a meeting with DOE Sec. Jericho Petilla; a referendum was agreed upon to settle which between C2C and PSP to adopt; referendum is not a mechanism for decision-making under the ALECO By-Laws August 7, 2013 – the IBOD and NEA scheduled a Submission and Opening of Bids; only one bidder submitted, San Miguel Energy Corporation; the bid of San Miguel did not comply with the Terms of Reference which the pro-PSP themselves drafted. There was failure of bidding because only one presented a bid and that lone bidder has conflict of interest with ALECO since SMEC is a sister company of the Bank of Commerce which is a depository of the electric cooperative August 15, 2013: Sec Petilla visited Albay ; a roadshow of the two option was scheduled from September 2 to 7, 2013; during the roadshow for the referendum, the content of the contract with the lone bidder, San Miguel Global Power Holdings, was never revealed to the member-consumers; on Day One of the roadshow for the referendum PSP had scanty details. As the activity progressed, PSP was increasingly copied from the Cooperative-to-Cooperative Partnership plan until on the last day, the former option looked almost like C2C, with BENECO removed and put in its place was San Miguel Corporation. The irremovable fact is that BENECO would give all earnings to ALECO while SMC would have to get its cut. Furthermore, under PSP copied from C2C, San Miguel has all the power to declare just what it wants as ALECO earnings even zero or negative September 14, 2013: only 4.8% of the member-consumers turned out to vote on while the legal requirement for any corporation is 5%; there was massive vote-buying amounting to P20, P50 and P150 perpetrated by pro-PSP politicians especially among the members of barangay power associations (BAPA). Pro-PSP voters were hauled. Voting centers were relocated to necessitate travel by member-consumers. ALECO funds, barangay vehicles and other government resources were used in favor of PSP; a Redemptory’s priest, among others, saw and testifies to these evil acts; NEA obliges any complainant to pay P750,000 as a fee and the pro-C2C do not have such money. September 23, 2013: ALECO Employees Organization (ALEO) pushed through with the long-suspended strike October 29, 2013: the IBOD, NEA, DOE, politicians and San Miguel proceeded to sign a contract in Makati without submitting the same for prior ratification by the General Assembly, claiming that the referendum result sufficed; the contract has the blessing of the Bishop of Legazpi even though it is a fruit of dishonesty November 28, 2013: The ERC held a public hearing on the petition of ALECO Management for a rate increase effective January 2014. Thus, we have another evidence of deception. As we heard during the presentation, the plan to apply for the increase was in place as of June 2013. Yet, the PSP presenters had the gall to tell the public that there would be no rate increase! The member-consumers were not effectively informed about the “public hearing” as only 7 were able to attend. December 21, 2013: About 100 member-consumers rushed into the compound of ALECO, conducted a General Assembly and elected a new Interim Board of Directors December 23, 2013: ALECO old management closed ALECO and prevented member-consumers from paying their bills. Payment resumed on the 24th. December 26, 2013: AMSSO padlocked the gate. Security guards attempted to remove the chain but were driven off by member-consumers. December 28, 2013: The new IBOD and PS Veronic Briones agreed to prevent San Miguel personnel from entering the ALECO compound and to provide AMSSO with a copy of the Concession Agreement. AMSSO will allow opening of the gate. PS Briones admitted that the agreement is different from the claims made during the roadshow prior to the referendum. The agreement was never honored by the old management. January  6, 2014: member-consumers stormed the compound of ALECO a second time. They demanded that San Miguel personnel be prevented from entering the premises of the cooperative and a copy of the Concession Agreement be provided to member-consumers.