If the country wants to attract more investors, particularly foreigners, the Aquino administration "must redouble its efforts toward ensuring energy security," it was reported recently.

The collective call of the members of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines urged the government to "speed up its infrastructure build-up and ensure consistency in business policies to address the perennial worries of the business community, which are the dismal lack of infrastructure like roads and power facilities along with conflicting policies at the national and local levels that are anathema to sustainable high growth."

This may also be the sentiment of other foreign and local chambers of commerce (and industry) which may be affected by the severe lack of steady power and infrastructure facilities.

It may be pointed out that the government presently is faced with power outages in its several regions especially in Mindanao and where there is power, the prohibitive costs thereof drives away potential and current investors. Provision of effective and steady power must be a priority of government, nationally and locally. It must occupy the topmost spot in its priority list.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that the group said that while the recent upgrades granted to the country by credit-rating firms were a positive development, greater effort has to be exerted on the energy front to help create a domestic environment that was (is) truly conducive to job-friendly investments.

In Mabalacat and in other areas, there should be steady supply of power also in order to allow the fledgling city to develop and maximize its potentials to become a viable and highly urbanized area. Utilities like telecommunications and power firms should be A-1 and only those which can provide the new city with good service should be retained. As it is, the present power retailer, Pelco II shuts off the power supply when it is most needed. The city residents grumble at this performance and so, the city leadership should focus on this problem swiftly and earnestly. It should look for alternatives in order to replace an ineffective franchise like Pelco II. The same should be done with its substandard telcos.

In a few days, schools will open to some 25 million students, from kindergarten to college and the Department of Education (DepEd) has found it time-worthy to remind school officials headed by Secretary Armin Luistro about the no fee collection policy of the department. Secretary Luistro said that there should be no collection of any kind, even on a "voluntary" basis when schools open on June 3. Private schools are to open a week later.

There may be some meritorious exemptions to the order like: some minimal fees may be asked from parents of school children from Grades 5 up to 10 (fourth year high school) so long as, according to DepEd, they are not compulsory, and are to be collected starting August only.

The intent of the department is noble and encouraging but there are violations in different areas through the years, there is no arguing about that.

In Mabalacat City, the City Division of Schools headed by the no nonsense administration of Dr. Nic Capulong and assisted by similarly-oriented Dr. Leonardo Canlas, will see to it that the DepEd's national office order is followed to the letter.

Source: Sun Star; Blogs; 26 May 2013