BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon
Denying electricity to Baguio residents

It is high time the Baguio City government reviews its position on allowing city residents to be supplied with electricity as apparently, it is violating the constitutional right of individuals to basic services.

This is the contention of Benguet Electric Coop. executives who said there are still around 7,000 residents in the city hoping to have power connections. Most of these prospective customers, the Beneco said, cannot avail of electricity due to non-issuance of Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection by city building officials in absence of a building permit and certificate of occupancy.

Beneco general manager Gerardo Verzosa recently told a media forum the power firm’s only requirements for electrical connection are Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection (CFEI) and Electrical Permit (EP) but the City Building and Architect’s Office (CBAO) does not issue such documents without a building permit.

Melchor Licoben, Beneco engineering chief also said many Baguio residents are informal settlers who have no building permits. He said on 2006, Beneco, through its board of directors, made a resolution, submitted to then Mayor Braulio Yaranon, requesting rationalization of the city’s policy on electrical connections.

In 2008 the Beneco board passed another resolution, urging the city government to act on their request for “rationalization of the requirements for electrical service connection.” As far as electrical connection is concerned, Licoben said, Beneco only follows regulations under the Philippine Electrical Code which does not require a building permit for electrical connections. What it requires are certificate of final electrical inspection and electrical permit.

The city council reportedly passed ordinances 45 and 52 in 1992 stipulating a building permit is not necessary in applying for electricity and water connections. The ordinances said water and electricity are basic necessities for any household or family and withholding these basic services to anyone because he is not financially capable to secure a building permit is a clear affront to an individual’s rights and privileges under the constitution.

Why the city government is not implementing provisions of the two ordinances is the question the Beneco would like to know. Concerned city government officials particularly the CBAO could check their positions, in connection with the issuance of CFEI and EP before a bright fellow could file a court case.

Indeed the issue has to be addressed as there are many city residents denied right to have electricity aside from the fact that danger is posed when deprived people result to illegal tapping or connections.

One reason city officials said why some people should be denied power connection was that occupants of these are squatters who illegally built their houses. But then again, proving if these are indeed squatters is one thing, providing electricity is another. It is called due process.