(Unsplash)

Demonizing the country’s power sector will lead to more problems than solutions. 

Senior Citizen Party-list Rep. Rodolfo "Ompong" Ordanes offered this take Friday, Jan. 26 even as he asked the government focus its efforts on addressing Filipinos concerns on food inflation and job security. 

"As far as power is concerned, we look at the stability of this sector as a catalyst for growth. Thus, demonizing this sector only adds to more problems instead of creating needed solutions," Ordanes said. 

Ordanes, chairman of the House Committee on Senior Citizens, asked the government to take a look at a recent study on Filipinos' concerns in connection with the surging food prices. 

"While most of the seniors no longer work a huge portion of this population rely on their relatives particularly their children for support. Ensuring job stability will likewise be a continuing lifeline to us senior citizens through our children," said the solon. 

Recent estimates puts the senior citizen population in the country at around 10 percent. 

Octa Reaserch, a local polling firm, recently revealed that food inflation has topped Filipinos' main concern amid the unabated rise in food cost. 

Among the other concerns listed high by the study were controlling the prices of food and basic services, having easier access to the same, and creating more jobs. 

READ THIS: 

https://mb.com.ph/2023/12/10/did-meralco-violate-its-franchise

Bienvenido Oplas, Jr., an economist and president of Minimal Gov't Thinkers--a socio-economic think tank--said government should take advantage of the situation while citizens are not focused on the cost of electricity. 

"It is high time for the BBM (Bongbong Marcos) administration to put its focus on enticing more investments and encouraging the big ticket players to continue investing not only in generation but transmission and distribution as well," Oplas said.  

"Since food inflation is the main concern of the people, while electricity and transport inflation is not so much, government, particularly Congress should focus on expanding power supply, not price control or price investigations or franchise harassment," he added.