MARCOS: GOV’T WORKING TO AVERT POWER RATE INCREASE

Marcos on Tuesday said the government was working to find ways to prevent electricity prices from increasing, at least during the Christmas season, as he was worried that the issuance of a temporary restraining order by the Court of Appeals (CA) on the Power Supply Agreement of San Miguel Corp.’s (SMC) energy unit and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) could raise electricity rates this December.

‘People are suffering’

“If we could postpone and have a gradual increase. If it does increase, let’s increase it gradually. It’s too hard. People are already suffering,” he told reporters during his visit to the International Rice Research Institute’s headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna province.

On Sunday, Mr. Marcos said he hoped that the CA would reconsider its decision and “include in their deliberations the extremely deleterious effect this will have on power prices for ordinary Filipinos.”