By Herbert Vego
WE did not hear them say “fish” instead of “peace”. But those were the words printed on the backdrop of an event at the base of Freedom Grandstand Saturday morning, where MORE Power President Roel Zabala Castro turned over to Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas plastic bags containing 731 Lapu Lapu fingerlings.
The juvenile fishes were eventually released at the cleaned-up Iloilo River, where they would grow big enough to be caught and cooked into “sweet- and-sour,” to quote the mayor.
The 731 fingerlings represent the number of days that MORE Electric and Power Corporation has been in service as the new distribution utility in Iloilo City. Indeed, it has been one year from the day MORE Power had replaced Panay Electric Co. (PECO).
The turnover ceremony, however, was a celebration of the second anniversary already of the law (RA 11212) granting MORE the 25-year franchise. It was on a Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2019) when President Rodrigo Duterte signed that law.
To recall, MORE could not immediately heed that mandate due to PECO’s action questioning the legality of the expropriation of its facilities. It was not until one more year later on February 29, 2020 that MORE started energizing the city based on a writ of possession that the Regional Trial Court had issued.
The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the law giving MORE Power control over the power distribution utility in exchange for PHP482-million (rounded off) based on PECO’s tax declaration.
In recognition of MORE Power’s service to his constituents, Mayor Treñas wrote the following message:
“MORE Electric and Power Corporation has been our great partner in creating a sustainable city and has been proactive in fixing different electrical issues. As they celebrate their second anniversary in giving power to the Ilonggos, they released a total of 731 juvenile fishes, equating the number of days of service, as part of their corporate social responsibility. They also donated 23 life jackets for our personnel who worked very hard to protect the river.
“It is not always that you see a utility distribution company involved in the propagation of fishes in the Iloilo River, and I am very thankful for MORE Power.”
LOREN TO FILE ‘RESDISTRICTING BILL’?
TO file or not to file?
This is the question that must be on the mind of Antique Congresswoman Loren Legarda with regard to proposals to divide the province into two legislative districts by filing a bill to that effect.
The rumor that Legarda is not running for re-election but for senator instead has fueled speculation that her brother Antonio is aiming to replace her, in which case lawyer Cornelio Aldon would seize the opportunity to run, too.
When I asked former Governor Sally Perez for comment, she said that regardless of Aldon’s plan, she is for dividing the province into two legislative districts. It has already two sets of Sangguniang Panglalawigan members representing the North and the South.
It was my friend Joe Escartin to who alerted me on the possibility of Aldon seizing another opportunity to fulfill an elusive dream. He had once run against Exequiel Javier for governor but lost.
Only through redistricting could a Legarda and an Aldon run for the same position in two different turfs alongside, not against each other.
Another friend, Angel Capadocia, on the other hand, told me over lunch that he had talked to Aldon.
“He told me he is not running,” Ange quipped matter-of-factly.
Well, even fools change their mind. But Kune is no fool who would let an opportunity pass by.
Oh well, kuon ka mga Antiqueño, sadya gani kon Tonyo-kotra-Kune ang sambuwa.
May we hear from the lady from Antique?
PORK IMPORTATION NO SOLUTION
THIS corner agrees with Senator Imee Marcos’ opinion that by tripling the country’s pork imports, “We may end up with spoiled meat and spoiled vaccines.”
It’s because pork storage could push the country’s cold chain capacity beyond its limits to handle Covid-19 vaccines in the coming months, citing the warning of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CHAP) it would overwhelm its full capacity of 400,000 metric tons, of which 70% is already operational.
Pork importation would derail the plan of the government to transform the existing food storage facilities into vaccine containers.
Indeed, the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to increase pork imports contravenes the argument of local hog raisers that it would further harm their livelihood that has already been jeopardized by the Asian Swine Flu (ASF) in Luzon’s hog-producing provinces.
To Sen. Imee, the immediate solution to inflated pork prices is not importation but the direct and extensive government intervention to assist hog raisers! The DA should use its vehicles to transport hogs from the Visayas and Mindanao to Manila.”
The “knee-jerk reaction” of the DA and the Department of Trade (DTI) to control runaway market prices through the “vicious cycle” of importation would only leave local vegetable and livestock farmers at the mercy of ruthless traders and cartels.
Haven’t we learned from the controversial Rice Tariffication Law, which has allowed the surge of rice imports and caused farmgate prices of palay to drop to as low as P8 per kilo but with no corresponding drop in the cost of clean rice?
RAY OF HOPE FOR DISPLACED OFWS
OUR good friend Ray G. Rico – former barangay captain of PHHC Block 22, Mandurriao, Iloilo City – has become a ray of hope for displaced Ilonggo overseas Filipino workers in his role as “dalangpan” of the OFW Family Partylist in Iloilo.
One of them, Jessa Barres of Mandurriao, Iloilo City – who had lost her job in Kuwait — managed to come home last February 5 with the assistance of the said organization, according to her mom Gina.
Another recipient of the same assistance is Glorenzbon Catolin of Calinog, Iloilo. He used to work in Saudi Arabia.
