Davao Catholics start rallies vs power hike

Catholics in Davao City started a series of rallies against recent power hikes there, demanding the rollback in electric rates. The first of the public protests led by Basic Ecclessial Community leaders started Monday, the Union of Catholic Asian News reported. "About 100 protesters, mostly women and children, lighted candles and beat tin cans while parked vehicles honked. They were demanding that the government rollback power rates and refund payments collected from consumers beginning mid-year," UCAN said in an article on its website Tuesday night. It said the leaders gathered in Agdao town about three kilometers north of downtown Davao City. Tals Mibulus, 39, a convener of Lihuk Agdao (Move Agdao), said the activity aims “to inform Davao Light and Power Co. (DLPC) that people are already complaining about increased electricity bills" and encourage other Davao residents to protest. Mibulus, a lay minister of Davao archdiocese, said residents protested an increase by as much as 80 centavos per kilowatt-hour in their monthly bills since July. The parish-based Small Christian Communities “urge DLPC to reinstate the original rate," said Mibulus. DLPC has been collecting more than it had announced, he added. Joining Lihuk Agdao members were urban poor group Kadamay in the area, which is covered by the San Antonio Parish. “We discussed this formally in small Christian Community meetings and raised at the zone level, which decided to call for protests like these," said Mibulus. San Antonio Parish has nine zones composed of 64 Small Christian Communities, he explained. These Christian communities founded Lihuk Agdao in 2007 to protest Davao City Water District’s plans to borrow P100 million. Chapel leaders said their bills increased more than three times before the hike. Zone 3 youth coordinator Jelo Gomez said she joined the protest “because the bulk of parents’ budgets goes to electricity bills." Meanwhile DLPC’s assistant vice president for communications Ross Luga clarified that the hike was implemented “after public hearings and government approval." The Energy Regulatory Commission approved the petition of electric distributors and cooperatives for the power rate hike to offset the temporary use of diesel-run generator sets and power plants during the El Nino dry spell that wreaked havoc on the country in the first half of 2010.—JV, GMANews.TV