eastwind journals 84 send this to friends via link – http://www.sisterraquel.com/2013/12/eastwind-journals-84 WORLD SURGICAL FOUNDATION MEDICAL MISSION TO CORON http://youtu.be/YsMPvb2my3w TEN REASONS WHY MERALCO RATES ARE ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN ASIA In a nutshell By Bernie Lopez eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com
01 The government, as part shareholder of Meralco, is guilty of conflict of interest. It will approve rate increases for its own profits. Government equity in utilities should be banned. 02 Incumbent politicians are beholdened to the power sector as contributors to campaign funds. Malacanang defended the recent Meralco rate increases. Covert campaign contributions from oligarchs and their corporations should be expose in the media. 03 There is an insidious partnership between local oligarchs who control the power industry and the World Bank–USAID–ADB consortium (the US-controlled international banking system) to control the Philippine economy. The power sector plays a critical role in the economy. Even Malacanang is a puppet to this partnership. It’s a all-powerful global thing. 04 The consortium authored the EPIRA Law through proteges, namely, solons, some of whom were power oligarchs, and USAID-funded study groups. In the guise of breaking up the power monopoly, EPIRA achieved the exact opposite, strengthening the monopoly (oligopoly). A clear example is the latest rate increase. The WESM rate increased almost ten fold overnight on the pretext of the Malampaya shutdown just before Meralco purchased power. 05 The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has consistently approved rate increases which the Supreme Court has consistently reversed in favor of consumers. The latest increase is in fact a violation of the EPIRA because it was automatic. This requires approval and consultation first. Meralco and ERC consistently deny their partnership. 06 The modus operandi of Meralco to increase rates is to pile up one application with the ERC after the other, in the hope statistically even 70% are approved. These applications are so complex finance- and accounting-wise that no layman can understand the needles in the haystack to be able to launch a protest. Before the latest increase effective January, there was a previous one approved for November. 07 Meralco illegally imposed an ERC-approved fee to cover future potential default on payments amounting to a staggering P26 billion, whose interest, protestors say, belong to consumers, not to Meralco. If you are low-to medium consumer of about of 200 plus kilowatt hours per month, your new bill would mean plus P200 for default security payments (this is not consumption but insurance), and another P500, for the Malampaya shutdown increase. So your bill is jumping from P2,000 plus to P3,000 plus, an increase of 30% beyond the capability of the middle class. 08 Meralco is not afraid of protests for two reasons, 1) it controls the media and has a PR budget of millions per month. They can come out with articles justifying increase and suppress articles that say these are unjust; 2) the threat of electricity cut-off is a powerful force that make consumers helpless. If they opt to not pay for unjust rates, they will be cut off. 09 The European, American, and Japanese Chambers of Commerce report that Meralco has one of the highest rates in the whole of Asia, higher than Tokyo’s, strangling their businesses. Some are threatening to move abroad, and indeed some have. 10 The powerful oligarchy is complex and has tentacles reaching out to a labyrinth of other sectors such as mining, which uses up a lot of power. It has agents in Malacanang, including the all powerful MICC, which ultimately approves all mining applications. There are oligarchs in the Cabinet, Senate, Lower House, Chambers of Commerce, etc.
How do you kill the oppressive oligarchy? You don’t and you can’t unless you want to be a martyr. The only power that can kill the oligarchy is people power, but that is a tall order. People power rises only in crisis situations like EDSA. When power rates have increase three fold, maybe there is a chance. The latest increase is churning up a tsunami which is still in its infancy. We are slaves of the oligarchy. Greed and power are the name of their game. eastwindreplyctr@gmail.com
CHRISTMAS VERSES
the people who walked in darkness have seen a radiant light upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom You have brought them O Lord abundant joy and great peace and they celebrate the new harvest the yoke that burdened them the pole on their shoulder You have smashed as in the days of midian Isaiah:8:23-9:3 ______________________ and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us _________________________ behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and they shall name Him Emmanuel which means ‘God is with us’ matthew 1:23 /pp255 _______________________ the spirit of Christmas is in the heart not in the world not so much in giving gifts but in giving oneself eastwind _____________________ from you o bethlehem shall come a ruler who is to shepherd My people matthew 2:6 ____________________________________ she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn and the angel said: fear not, for behold i bring good tidings of joy for all people for today in the city of david a Savior is born who is Christ and Lord and suddenly, a multitude of angels appeared praising God and saying: glory to God in the highest and peace to those on whom His favor rests luke 2:13-14 _______________________ He shall be called the Son of the most high the Lord shall give Him the throne of david His father and He shall rule over the house of jacob forever and of His kingdom there will be no end luke 1:31-33 caravans of camels dromedaries from midian and ephah shall fill you, all from sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense proclaiming praises to the Lord isaiah 60:6 /pp255 the Lord has made His salvation known to all His people He has remembered His mercy and love sing joyfully to the Lord all you nations break into songs of praise psalm 98:1-6 from abraham to david is fourteen generations from david to the babylonian exile is the same from the babylonian exile to the birth of the Messiah is the same matthew 1:17 /pp255 amdg
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