price hike
KILLING THE CARTEL
By: Al S. Labita & Miguel Raymundo
IN a dark alley in Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown, a Chinese rice trader ponders on the fate of the tons of rice he illegally stockpiled in his leased warehouse.
Not only were the grains rotting, but their storage also drained him of “dirty profits” he pocketed from speculating on the supply and demand cycle of the Filipinos’ major staple.
Call it “bad karma,” but the tsinoy trader—like his peers in the cartelized trading of rice—is bearing the brunt of the government’s resolute political will to stabilize the rice market–and stamp out smuggling, hoarding and price manipulation.
Based on OpinYon’s research, a paper trail leads to Binondo as the epicenter of cartelized trading of grains, apparently in cahoots with corrupt government officials.
Mostly involving Tsinoys, the syndicate–described as “big and powerful”—corners and manipulates rice prices, creating an artificial shortage in the grains market. #OpinYon #banner#RiceHoarding #Rice
read cont | http://bit.ly/16G1q9v
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Kudos MWSS: Let MWC, Maynilad Hurt
by: Mentong Laurel
LAST September 11, the MWSS denied appeals of the privatized water utilities companies Manila Water and Maynilad for water rate hikes and ordered lowering of water rates for the next five year. As a result, water rates are expected to lower by more than one peso per cubic meter starting October. This is still a far cry from the real lowering of rates that must be attained by the public to match the average water tariff in the region, but it is a good start.
Congratulations to the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) for taking a stand to be pro-People. Special thanks to MWSS acting chief regulator Emmanuel Caparas and his team for standing up for Public Welfare and the Public Good, against the corrupt 1997 concession agreement signed under the corporatist-enforcer Fidel V. Ramos and the compromised MWSS board members then.
The iniquitous pass-on to water consumers of corporate income tax is now ended because of Caparas’ “heroic stand” against pressures from the corporate powers and its controlled media and economist-advocates to keep the income tax pass-on privilege for their corporations. #OpinYon #MWSS #Maynilad
read cont | http://bit.ly/1fL7DlD
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People Win vs. Corporatist Greed
by: Mentong Laurel
ON September 15, 2013 newspapers front-paged the MWSS (Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System) order for water concessionaires In Metro-Manila to cut their water rates for the next five years. Manila Water for the east zone is to reduce its rate by P 7.24/cubic meter and Maynilad Water in the west zone by P 1.46/cubic meter. The two privatized and corporatized water service utilities said they will dispute the MWSS order and submit it to arbitration proceedings. Manila Water claimed the tariff reduction would compromise its ability to serve its customers fully while Maynilad said it was “unjustified”.
The two water companies applied for rate hikes. But various consumer activist groups, individual and media advocates questioned the propriety of the companies passing off its income taxes to consumers. The debate raged since June with the public weighing heavily against the water companies and its apologists on the fairness and legality of passing off income taxes to consumers. The MWSS and the advocates stood strongly on the ground provided by the Puno Supreme Court in a 2003 decision, supported by COA (Commission on Audit) findings that disallowed Meralco’s passing on income tax to consumers and granting a P 30-B refund to its five million customers. #OpinYon #opinion
read cont | http://bit.ly/1fa7vMn
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