Former UniTeam Senate slate member SAGIP Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta is questioning the timing and wisdom of the so-called "aesthetic lighting" of San Juanico Bridge, which connects Leyte and Samar islands.
"Ang akin laman medyo concern dyan ay gagamit ng enerhiya sa panahon na kailangang kailangan talaga natin na magtipid ng kuryente sapagkat mabigat na nga ang pasanin natin sa energy din (My concern there is, we're going to use up more energy at a time when we're supposed to save energy since we're already overburdened)," Marcoleta said during a recent episode of Net 25's Sa Ganang Mamamayan.
"Halos kalahati mahirap na nga ang kanilang turing sa sarili dahil nga sa bagsak na ang kanilang balikat sa pagbabayad ng kuryente, pagkatapos gagawa ka pa ng pang-akit sa turista eh gagamit ka pa ng laksa-laksang kuryente (Nearly half of us consider ourselves poor due to burdensome electricity bills, and yet we carry out this tourist attraction that would use up loads and loads of electricity.
"Eh kailangang pag-isipan namang mabuti kung tama ang direksyon natin (We need to think carefully whether or not the direction we're taking is the correct one)," the former deputy speaker said.
No less than President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. led the light-up ceremony for the 49-year-old bridge in Santa Rita, Leyte last Oct. 19. Marcos led the UniTeam national line-up during the May 2022 elections.
The new attraction at the bridge, which include the aesthetic lighting as well as a sound show, is intended to boost tourism in Leyte and Samar as well as nearby areas.
"Alam mo mas marami pang mas magagandang tulay sa daigdig dyan ano. Kung nakapunta ka na sa Australia, yung Harbour Bridge, na pinaiilawan din naman yun pero hindi naman ginawa yun para lang daanan ng mga turista. At hindi sila gagasta ng ganung kalaking pera para lang akitin ang mga turista (You know there are a lot more better-looking bridges in the world. If you've been to Australia, the Harbour Bridge is also lit up but not for the purpose of attracting tourists. And they will not spend that big of a money for it)," Marcoleta said.
He said it's the same case with the Golden Gate Bridge---another historic bridge--in San Francisco in the United States (US). "Hindi naman pinailawan ng ganun yan (It wasn't lit up like that)."
Referring to the San Juanico Bridge, the one-time senatorial aspirant said: "Ewan ko kung ano yung magiging impact sa tourism. Sana naman ay kumita nga. Baka naman sa umpisa lang? Dahil nga napailawan mo eh pagkaraan ng ilang araw baka pagsawaan din naman yan ( I don't know what impact this will have on tourism. I hope this will result to profits. Maybe only in the beginning? The people might get fed up with the lighting after a few days)."
The veteran congressman noted how the price of electricity at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) has steadily been climbing the past few months. He said the price was P7.26 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in August, P9.17 per kWh in September, and P9.31 per kWh in October.
Marcoleta claimed that electricity costs more in that part of the Visayas than Luzon.
"Sa totoo lang yung kuryenteng ipaiilaw mo dyan, kung pwede lang i-export dito sa Luzon Luzon pamamagitan ng transmission lines, makabubuti makapapawi ng konting bigat ng gastusin sa atin eh (The truth is, if you could only export the electricity that you'll use on the bridge lighting here in Luzon via transmission lines, then it would be a relief to us)," he said.
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Marcoleta clarified that he has nothing against any moves to woo more tourists to the regions.
"Gusto ko rin na makagawa tayo ng mga bagay-bagay na makaka-attract sa ibang tao lalung lalo na yung mga foreign tourists, bakit naman hindi? Makadaragdag yan sa pangkabuhayan ng ating bansa (I want us to be able to do things that would attract other people, especially foreign tourists, why not right? That will bring additional livelihood in our country).
"Pero ang nakita ko rito, ang gagamitin mong input dito ay kuryente din. Eh talagang namimiligro tayo sa kuryente dyan eh (But what I see here is, the input we're going to use is still electricity. We're already in a dire situation there)," he explained.