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WATCH MERALCO RATES, ERC TOLD, AS SAN MIGUEL QUITS '21 SUPPLY CONTRACT By Alena Mae S. Flores
VOL. XXXVII • NO. 35 • 3 SECTIONS 12 PAGES • P20 • SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2023 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com
CONSUMER groups have asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to closely monitor any power rate changes in the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) franchise area following the decision of San Miguel Corp. to terminate its 2021 power supply contracts with the distributor. Former ERC commissioner Alfredo Non also said Meralco consumers are supposed to enjoy lower rates based on his computation of refunds totaling
about P100 billion. SMC Global Power Holdings, Inc. on Friday decided to terminate its power supply agreements with Meralco totaling 1,800 megawatts that were supposed to be delivered starting in 2024. SMC has not issued a statement why it decided to withdraw from the PSA as of press time, although sources told the Standard its 2021 Power Supply Agreement with Meralco has not yet been approved by the ERC. Next page
Oil spill reaches Calapan City Groups press gov't to act faster on containment; ASEAN assistance eyed By Charles Dantes, Rio N. Araja, Rey E. Requejo, and Macon Ramos-Araneta
O
IL from the MT Princess Empress, which sank with its cargo of 800,000 liters of industrial fuel on Feb. 28, has reached Calapan, the capital city of Oriental Mindoro, local officials said Friday, as conservationists pressed the national government to act more quickly.
winds die down. Calapan City is about 54 kilometers from where the tanker went down, near the town of Pola. Responders have already placed spill booms in parts of the river to prevent water contamina-
tion as the environmental disaster threatens the As of March 15, the Office of Civil Defense reported a total of 31,497 families in the MIlivelihood of residents in the area. Dolor said a 45-day cash-for-work MAROPA and Western Visayas regions have program will be offered to affected resi- been affected by the oil spill. Next page dents.
In a radio interview, Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor confirmed reports that the oil slick from the tanker has reached Calapan City, about 500 meters from the shoreline. Dolor said the trajectory of the oil flow remained on point with simulations run by the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute. At this rate, the oil spill might get to the northern part of Mindoro and other rich marine reserves if the “amihan” or the northeast monsoon
SLICK WORK. Oil coats the sides and tools of the BRP Bagacay as members of the Japan Disaster Response Expert Team and the Philippine Coast Guard work on Friday to contain the oil spill from the tanker that sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro over two weeks ago. The area of the spill’s reach now covers an area of around 80,000 square kilometers, according to an estimate using Google Maps (inset photo). PCG Photo
DA, groups say dominoes must DOJ: Teves in ‘flight’ if not home soon fall before rice price hits P20/kl By Jimbo Gulle DESPITE President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s optimism to fulfill a campaign promise, a lot of dominoes must fall before his administration can successfully bring down the price
By Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz
of rice in markets to P20 per kilo, government executives and consumer groups said Friday. The long-term solution would be for the government to give rice farmers a subsidy and build the agricultural Next page
to the Philippines, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Friday. “We have a strong legal adage for that THE Department of Justice will consider matter: Flight is an indication of guilt. it as “flight” if Negros Oriental Rep. We will consider this a case of flight if he Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. refuses to return refuses to return to the country," Remulla
P1.10 per liter for gasoline, based on the four-day trading and the movement of the peso week-on-week. "There will be an expected rollback for the prices of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene by next week. This is attributed to the fear Next page
DREAM COMING TRUE? At a public market in Lucena City on Friday, a buyer takes a close look at rice priced at P25.00 per kilo, close to the dream price of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of P20 per kilo for Filipinos. Diana Noche
Airport security reorg set for Monday A MAJOR reorganization will take effect at the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) following recent incidents of stealing involving the agency’s screening officers at the Ninoy Aquino
International Airport. OTS spokesperson Kim Marquez said the agency will enforce the changes beginning Monday to enhance line supervision and emphasize accountability at each airport station nationwide. Next page
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Oil price rollback of P1.80/liter As PNP shuffles, seen amid US, Euro crisis fears CIDG-NCR chief CONSUMERS can expect an oil price rollback of as much as P1.80 per liter next week amid fears of an economic crisis in the United States and Europe. An industry source told the Standard pump prices will go down by P1.50 to P1.80 per liter for diesel and P0.90 to
By Joel E. Zurbano
said in an interview with radio DZBB. Remulla said this when asked what the DOJ would do if Teves will not return to the country while the government investigates the killing of Negros Oriental
AT THE READY. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. joins the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division at Camp Elias Angeles in Barangay San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur in standing at attention on Thursday. PCO photo
denies sacking
By Charles Dantes and Maricel V. Cruz THE chief of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Metro Manila denied he was sacked over allegations of corruption involving his men in a raid in Paranaque City. In a statement, Police Col. Hansel Marantan said that contrary to reports, he voluntarily offered to be relieved of his position to dispel any doubts or insinuations that he might influence the investigation into his officers. “As a law enforcement officer, I take responsibility for the men undermy command. When one’s professionalism and integrity are questioned, one has to voluntarily hand in his resignation,” he said. “This will also dispel doubts that the investigation will be influenced.” Marantan said this move is in support of the government’s campaign to root out corruption among government officials and those in the police force. Earlier reports said Marantan was relieved from his post due to a “questionable” raid conducted by CIDG-NCR in Manila. Next page