It only took the will and courage of a woman to kill any hopes for Panay Electric Company (PECO) to revive on their second attempt its franchise at the House committee on legislative franchises. Neophyte Lone District of Iloilo Representative Jamjam Baronda proudly predicated her stand of giving MORE Electric and Power Corporation a “chance” by stating that a few members of the Cacho family, the owners of PECO are very close to her. 

Such declaration manifested a trait of an independent woman that only goes to show how she will act selflessly when duty calls to take a stand for “the Ilonggos who (have) spoken”. Her voice ended nine long years of Iloilo City’s membership of the “silence committee” at the House.   

However, did Representative Jamjam Baronda actually made an independent and for the people of Iloilo City stand? 

She as a matter of fact is a member of the National Unity Party (NUP) of gambling magnate Enrique Razon, the owner of MORE Power. MORE is an abbreviated name of Monte Oro Resources and Energy, a multi-billion mining company owned by Razon. Hence, the contention of PECO that MORE Power never had any experience in the power distribution industry and instead has the expertise in the mining industry. 

Political players said that it was Jamjam Baronda who cleared the way for Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treňas to transfer from the ruling PDP-Laban party to NUP. Treňas is now the NUP Vice President for Special Projects (concerns).

It is only but logical for Baronda to disown her closeness with the Cachos in favor of her political patron. Human experience tells that people will almost willingly sacrifice personal attachments over money, subsistence and survival. 

While there are stories that tell of Baronda crying for financial support from the Cachos last election and the latter shelling out a few millions of pesos, these remain unfounded allegations unless the Cachos will confirm it themselves.

The decisive stand Baronda took in saying that MORE Power should be given a chance to fulfill their promises for Iloilo City is both preemptive and weak. The foundation of MORE Power’s operation in Iloilo City while giving due consideration to the fact that they have the franchise to operate is dependent on the constitutionality of the provision that gives them the right to expropriate the properties of PECO.

Such issue is now pending for resolution at the Supreme Court. The lower court has already declared it unconstitutional. What if the Supreme Court sustains the view of the lower court? It will only lead Iloilo City to an electricity supply conundrum. MORE Power has the franchise with unconstitutional provisions and without a single pole to boast as their own. PECO has the facilities to operate the electricity distribution in the city but has an expired franchise. 

While there will always be one and a thousand remedy which can be opted by both PECO and MORE Power, what Baronda failed to do is to use her powers as the city’s representative to find a more progressive and consumer-directed resolution of the situation. The power franchise that PECO attempted to have renewed is political in nature as it is dependent on the party affiliation of the committee officers and members. 

The chance that Baronda was saying should only mean a thing if MORE Power has already started negotiating road right of ways (ROW) for a few poles. MORE Power is just about to boast of the smart meters they have purchased. Unfortunately, these are loose change inside their coffers should the court decides against them.  

Baronda clearly stated that the people of Iloilo City have spoken. It means that her stand was a representation of what is good for the Ilonggos. If and only if the court of final arbiter decides against the expropriation of the properties of PECO by MORE Power, what benefit will it bring for the people of Iloilo City? Where will MORE attach their contracted energy? 

Instead of offering a more concrete solution, Baronda opted to speak for the Ilonggos in favor of MORE Power. 

Beyond the powers of the franchise committee, has Representative Baronda initiated a conference with the city officials, PECO and MORE Power owners and the sectoral representatives of the people of Iloilo City so that a plan is crafted in order to protect the people of the city and its hyper-active economy should the stalemate continues? Such consultation, Baronda must know, is the only way for her to claim that the people of Iloilo City have spoken.

Being an elected representative of the city, does not necessarily mean that every time Baronda opens her mouth or whichever she wanted to open becomes a representation of the voice or act of the people even if she does beso-beso to every Ilonggo she meets along the way.