DOE: Informal settlers’ power connection should be free

Following President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) urging power utilities to use their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to make direct connections to relocation sites and depressed areas, the Department of Energy (DOE) said the cost of connection should be free for informal settlers.

"Yes, 'yung connection dapat walang bayad," DOE spokesperson Pete Ilagan told reporters in a press briefing Tuesday.

Ilagan noted that since power utilities like Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) will use their CSR to service informal settlers, they should not recover the cost to their consumers.

"'Yang CSR galing na 'yan sa kanilang savings, sa kanilang profit so hindi na nila puwedeng irecover," he said.

"Ngayon kapag irerecover pa rin nila 'to at nasilip ng ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission], it will be the ERC to look out whether to allow this expenses or not," he added.

On Monday, the President said: "To help avoid squatter-like conditions in relocation sites, we urge utilities like Meralco and electric cooperatives  to exercise their social corporate responsibility by making direct connections to relocation sites and depressed areas."

"Alam naman natin ang CSR itong ginagamit ng private companies for goodwill, para gumanda ang kanilang image, kaya ang request ng ating Secretary [Alfonso Cusi] na kung maaring gamitin ng mga private distribution utilities yung kanilang CSR sa pag-address dito sa urgent needs ng mga informal settlers, mga relocated families na makabitan agad sila ng kuryente," Ilagan explained.

"There is a sense of urgency on the situation where some sectors of the nation are deprived of electricity," he stressed.

In a text message, Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga said, "We fully support the President. In fact, we have strengthened our partnership with DOE."

"We have energized more than 2,000 customers in three weeks under tha partnership," Zaldarriaga noted.

DOE spokesperson Felix Fuentebella confirmed that the Energy department has done a dialogue with Meralco.

"Since the Secretary took over...Nagkaroon na tayo ng pagpupulong sa Meralco kung papaano gagawin ito kasi isa ito sa mga pangunahing concern ng pangulo at nasabi na po ito kay secretary. Isa ito sa mga unang inasikaso ng secretary," Fuentebella said.

Ilagan clarified that urging power utilities to exercise their CSR in providing power connections to informal settlers does not encourage squatting.

"Squatting should be treated separately...Ang pinagmumulan ng administrasyon na ito ay bigyan ng kaukulang atensyon yung mga walang kakayahayan [magkaroon ng kuryente] at ipakita ang tunay na malasakit sa mga less fortunate members ng ating community," he said. — BM, GMA News