First Gen: ‘Our’ green grass and geothermal...
A half-page spread in the business section of one of the mainstream newspapers seized my attention. The ad said, “The grass is greener on our side” and in the background of lush green mountains rose a few puffs of white smoke and one line underscored it saying, “Our EDC Geothermal Power Plant in Leyte.” The ad is from First Gen, a Lopez company that has taken over many of the nation’s geothermal plants which is now “their” geothermal power plants. The idea that these geothermal plants that I have since my teen age been taught and told is the nation’s patrimony, collectively owned by the people of the Philippines — the idea that these now are not “our” as a people but “our” only to the Energy Development Corp. (led by Paul Aquino who himself privatized it as head when it was government owned) owned by First Gen so graphically and emphatically claimed really had shock effect. On the same day news came out that Meralco doubled yes, doubled) its profits from increasing electricity rates. Again, the utterly undisguised and unapologetic report socked me. It’s as if there is no other consideration, no other consequence, to consider; that it’s all right to double profits simply by increasing rates. Some consumer groups stage a protest, a picket at Malacañang, but the government spreads its eyes wide open as if to say, “Why ask us?” Apparently we, the people, don’t belong to this country anymore, or maybe it is better said that nothing in this country belongs to us anymore, not even government. Electricity consumers who pay the increasing rates and from whence the profit is extracted, do not matter; their pains and debilitation do not exist. You and I, we who pay the power bills and the increases who are already screaming in pain and rage, are not heard. It wasn’t like this in Marcos’ or in Erap’s time. All these callousness came about only after Edsa II. Volcanic steam that emanates from this country’s land now belong to two families; electricity and its distribution owned and controlled by another set, interlocking in some, handful of families; power transmission is also controlled by syndicated local and foreign corporations. The people own nothing, and pretty soon none of the lands in this country will be in Filipinos hands except for the same few families controlling the myriad of other essential assets. This situation is the legacy of Edsa II, which in turn is the legacy left behind by Edsa I and Cory Aquino, with her Yellow entourage. This is the “democracy” they brought, shared non-ownership by 90 million Filipinos and absolute ownership of all the instruments of economic power and growth in the hands of a handful of families, mega-corporations and their foreign overlords. Can a nation and a republic survive without popularly shared and commonly held economic assets? This results in almost complete leverage over everything else, including politics and even control of the public mind. Paul Guiterrez’s article “Yellow surveys” in People’s reveals the cross directorship in the country’s top survey groups, SWS and Pulse Asia: “...some of the prominent members of the board and stockholders of Pulse Asia and SWS are relatives or friends of the Aquinos. Jose de Jesus, one of the founders and stockholders of Pulse Asia, was secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways during the time of President Cory Aquino. Antonio Cojuangco, cousin of the Liberal Party standard bearer, initially bankrolled Pulse Asia, while Rafael Cojuangco Lopa, also Noynoy’s cousin and executive director of the Ninoy Aquino Foundation, was president of Pulse Asia until last year.” One Yellow fanatic texted me denying that Lopa is involved in Pulse Asia, wasn’t it so “timely,” this Lopa’s divestment, with a presidential campaign polling? Ping de Jesus also appears in the board of many Lopez companies. Which brings us to a reported deal between the Yellow candidate, BSA (interpret the initials), and Meralco to “cease and desist” from continuing with its overcharging if and when that candidate sits in Malacañang. This exposes candidate BSA’s special relationship with the oligarchs, and that rumor instead of enticing voters to swing to BSA to get relief from Meralco’s price gouging actually reminds the millions of suffering Meralco power consumers how they were fooled by BSA’s campaign manager Butch Abad who spearheaded the Omnibus Power Bill, precursor of the Epira which gave us the infamous PPA. A more reliable survey, by the Magdalo, puts Estrada at 24.8 percent ahead of Villar against Pulse’s 20 percent -20 percent tie of the two; thus Estrada is far closer to BSA than Pulse portrays. The Lopez and oligarchs’ survey groups are foisting the myth of BSA’s vast lead to trend the May 10 elections. They’re also spreading the black prop that Erap is withdrawing due to schlerosis. The fact is the Yellows know that an upset from Estrada is imminent, and their plot is no longer against Villarroyo or his sponsor but against the masa and the people. With Estrada, the people and the masa can take back the green pastures, as well as the geothermal power plants, the transmission lines, the water systems, the toll ways, and all that the nation needs to green its future again. (Tune to 1098AM, Sulo ng Pilipino, M-W-F, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; Global News Network, Destiny Cable Channel 21, Talk News TV, Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. “The Potential Upsets” with Tony Gat, et al.; visit http://hermantiulaurel.blogspot.com) Source: The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100503com4.html |
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