MERRY CHRISTMAS?


MERALCO Ad in
Major Newspapers Today
From the Philippine Star

And we all thought the Halloween scare was over? We are so naive.

Translated for foreign readers, that picture says:

"NAPOCOR (National Power Corporation)
raised its power rates, that is why this November,
your electric bill will increase."

Why did MERALCO (Manila Electric Company) spend for a one-half page ad in today's newspapers? Incidentally, how much does a one-half page ad cost nowadays? And why that message? I think this is their implied message:

"Hey, guys, we are raising your electric bill this November.
But don't blame us.
Blame NAPOCOR."

As if the Filipinos' woes are not enough, today, Petron raised its gasoline prices by P1 per liter. Petron Corporation is the Philippines' largest oil refiner and is partly government-owned. This is on top of the recent LPG price increase last Tuesday and the impending increase in water rates come January 2005.

I know these price increases are all inevitable, but please spare me and the others from dreams of having a "cheerful Christmas" this year.

Let us be realistic and admit that these are hard times.

Asking us to sacrifice is already a favor, telling us to feel happy about it is an insult.