KMU to Arroyo gov’t: Stop avoiding blame via San Roque privatization

Labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno slammed the Arroyo government’s plan to privatize the San Roque dam after it caused the destruction of lives and livelihood in Pangasinan and surrounding areas, saying the sellout of the hydro electric plant to the private sector will only provide Gloria Arroyo an “escape tunnel” from the typhoon fiasco.

Energy Sec. Angelo Reyes has recently announced that the government is pushing through with the privatization of the government’s power-generating facilities and assets, which include Angat hydropower plant, Navotas gas turbine power plant, and the San Roque, Bakun and Benguet hydro electric plants. 

“With the planned privatization of San Roque dam, the government will take its hands off from the dam and let private firms take over and cause worse devastation in the future. Clearly, this is a devious scheme of escaping blame for the massive flooding, apart from its standing policy of letting foreign firms run the whole power sector – while getting kickbacks in the process” said KMU Chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog.

“Whatever excuse the government makes, the planned privatization should be stopped. The Arroyo regime cannot simply run away from its liability over the death of our kababayans and the destruction of crops.

“The people’s call is for the decommissioning of the San Roque dam. You don’t hand over a bad government project to private companies, which could only make the project worse,” added Labog.

DOE said the second wave of bidding for the San Roque hydro electric plant, an asset of the National Power Corporation (Napocor), is already set.

“The regime is affirming its callous and irresponsible nature up to its remaining days by distancing from the San Roque calamity and allowing private firms to pursue their profit agenda despite the huge loss of lives and property,” said Labog.

Higher power rates, wanton destruction

KMU also warned that the planned privatization of the government’s remaining power assets which will put the country’s power generation in the hands of a few foreign corporations, will lead to higher electricity rates.

“Haven’t we learned from our experience with privatization? It puts the welfare of the public at the mercy of capitalists whose main interest is profit and not serving people. And it provides many opportunities for corruption among government bureaucrats,” Labog said. 

“It is another proof of the Arroyo regime’s rottenness that it is taking the destruction caused by the San Roque Dam as an opportunity to advance its own self interest – of avoiding blame in the future and raking in money from the proven corrupt process of privatization.” ###