[In the news] Power rate increases to hit women the hardest, group says – www.sunstar.com.ph

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Human Rights Online Philippines Leave a comment

Power rate increases to hit women the hardest, group says
By Jonathan de Santos

POWER RATE hike applications pending at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will hit women the hardest if they are approved, a debt watchdog group warned Tuesday.

The Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Women’s Committee picketed the ERC office in Pasig City Tuesday to urge the regulatory body to turn down petitions from the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (Paslm) and the National Power Corp. (Napocor) to raise rates by around P0.40 per killowat-hour (kwh) to cover debt payments and contract costs.

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Judy Ann Chan-Miranda of the FDC Women’s Committee said the ERC should shoot down the “anti-women” and “anti-poor” proposed rate increases.

“High power rates mean women taking on even more work to pay for electricity and have something left for other essentials. It means cutting the budget for food, medicines and healthcare, the education of children. It means having little choice but borrow from loan sharks to avoid disconnection,” she said in a press statement.

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