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Kadamay slams power rate hike

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Davao City- Members of militant urban poor group, mostly women and mothers from Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY,) staged a protest rally here today in front of the Davao Light and Power Company to protest the imposition of 0.8 centavos per kilowatt hour power rate increase which will start this month.

The group believes that power rate increase is unreasonable amidst the worsening state of the people’s economic lives due to relentless rising prices of basic commodities, unemployment and low wages.

“Ang labihang maipit niing pag-usbaw sa bayronon sa kuryente kay kadtong mga kabus gyud nga mga pamilya nga maglisod naman gani og pagpalit sa pagkaon ug pagpaeskwela sa ilhang mga anak. Samtang walay igong serbisyo nga ginahatag ang gubyerno, kini pa ang nagaduso sa pagpataas sa presyo sa kuryente pinaagi sa mga programa ug balaod susama sa EPIRA” said Franchie Buhayan, Spokesperson of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) in Davao City.

“Ang bayronon sa kuryente, isa sa mga prayoridad gyud sa usa ka pamilya. Mapaadunahan man o kabus nga pamilya, tanan nagagamit og kuryente. Busa dili dapat mahimong pabug-at kini sa usa ka pamilya, dapat unta libre ni kay responsibilidad sa gubyerno ang paghatag og serbisyo- sosyal sa katawhan,” Buhayan added .

According to Buhayan, EPIRA or the Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 paved the way to the unregulated increase of power rate in the country where only the large electric foreign capitalists have been benefiting.
Buhayan challenged the Pres. Aquino to repeal the said law and prove himself to be different from the previous presidents.  It will be recalled that Aquino did not vote for the approval of the EPIRA when he was still the Representative of Tarlac in 2001.
“Kinahanglan iyang barugan ang iyang baruganan nga batok siya sa EPIRA hangtud karon,” Buhayan said.
Buhayan believes that genuine industrialization of power industry is the key towards stabilizing the supply and affordability of power rate in the country.

Kadamay, an affiliate organization of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), along with various organizations pledged to stage massive protests in the city if DLPC will continue its proposed power rate increase.#

For reference:
Franchie Buhayan
Spokesperson, KADAMAY
0910-667-1009

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