WHIMSICAL VIOLATION OF HOUSE RULES — The Dagupan Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) is perhaps the only legislative body in the Philippines and may be in all the democratic institutions that is holding its regular sessions on days depending on the convenience and availability of one or some of its members in gross violation of its house rules and the accepted norms in parliamentary procedures.

Some times, it holds its regular session on a Monday morning and at times late Monday afternoon. There are also times it holds sessions on a Tuesday and at times on Wednesdays.

We hope these flexible dates of the sessions were not meant to conceal a hidden agenda that the honorables do not want to share with their constituents.

If my memory serves me right, the councilors wrote in their house rules that they should meet every Tuesday starting at 2:00 p.m., but is not often observed.

Question: For what are house rules for if the members choose not to observe these? They might as well remove that particular rule if they have no intention to follow it.

And if they claim changing schedule of sessions is covered by a gentleman’s agreement among them and this is none of their constituents’ business, can a gentleman’s agreement on a whim amend house rules?

They adopted the house rules to ensure that legislative matters can be resolved and disposed of efficiently for the good of the city. Without the house rules, the law of the jungle will certainly prevail in that august body – only the strong will survive.

So, if our councilors cannot really meet on the day they appointed as a house rule, then amend it to another convenient day that will be observed by all.

We learned that the flexible schedule of sessions was started to suit the schedule of Vice Mayor Brian Lim who was then campaigning for the Jaycee World president and all the councilors supported his bid.

This being the case, it is obvious that they have chosen to relegate their mandate as councilors second only to their personal interests, a violation of their oath and a clearly case of dereliction of their duties for which they are accountable and culpable.

Paging the DILG and/or the Ombudsman. – Leonardo Micua 

 

CRIES OF ANGER — Imagine yourself tired from work and eager to go home to relax only to be find there’s a brownout in your area.

You did your grocery for a weeks’ stock of meat and other frozen items only to find out there’s no power to keep your refrigerator working.

Then, you cannot work since your laptop’s battery is fully drained, then you have to report for work with unironed clothes, and if that was not bad enough, you have to hand wash your clothes because you cannot use your washing machine, and the list of “can’t dos” is endless.

The culprit is the often unannounced power interruption, courtesy of Cenpelco.

I asked my media friends for some explanations but they, too, said only a security guard from Cenpelco office is picking up the phone. So what can you expect? No explanation.

There goes your blood pressure. Totally stressed out!

Such is the situation with Cenpelco customers.

Two Sundays ago, this was already the common complaint of its customers in Binmaley and Lingayen.

“Monday night, nagsindi sandali tapos wala na. Tuesday, nagsindi ng past 1am na ata tapos nawalan ulit ng mga bandang 9am. Ilang beses pa nagkaganun,” said one irate customer.

“Tapos me nagsabi na nilipat sa isang substation ang linya ng ilang nakakonekta sa Binmaley substation,” reported another.

The irate customers were helpless. It went on and on and on, without electricity for several days.

“Sana maayos na ng Cenpelco ang mga substation nila. Dapat siguro dagdagan nila ang capacity ng mga substation. Dumarami na kasi gumagamit ng kuryente,” cried another.

Customers are desperate, clueless and at a loss on what’s really going on.

Kung maniningil kayo, mabilis pa sa alas kuwatro. Pero kung puputulin nyo ang kuryente, tago kayo nang tago, ayaw mag abiso, walang paliwanag. Sana kung anong bilis nyong mag disconnect, ganun din sana kayo kabilis magbalik ng kuryente.

No wonder, your customers now call you CENPULTOT!

Libre naman ang manawagan sa radyo at iba pang forms of media basta public service, o mag-post sa Facebook kung ano ba ang nangyayari, pero bakit napaka-insensitive nyo naman? Dami nang nabwibiswit sa patay sinding kuryente,” one of our sources said.

For the sake of balanced reporting, I got this message from Cenpelco Manager Rodolfo Cruz dated Aug. 17, 2017 for a notice of scheduled power interruption. Natauhan o natuto na rin? Whatever, salamat pa rin po.

It said, “We would like to inform you that due to the temporary transfer of the portion of Binmaley load and some part of Lingayen Load to San Carlos City 20 MVA Substation, we have set Power Interruption schedules on Aug. 18-19, 2017 (Friday & Saturday) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM for the restructuring of 3-phase Backbone line along Tandoc, San Carlos City to Papagueyan, Binmaley”. Then, it enumerated the areas to be affected.

Yun naman pala, kaya nyong gawin, bakit hinahayaan nyo pang ma-high blood ang mga consumers nyo sa patay sinding suplay ng kuryente nyo!

It’s okay and, in fact, appreciated, if the reason for the power outages is for the improvement of service.  Pero ibang usapan kung bigla-bigla kayong nagba-brownout tapos wala man lang paliwanag.

Nakakairita kayo ah!—Eva c. Visperas

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