High Power, Low Water

May I ask for prayers? Chances are you may be wanting to pray for this same request. Let’s all together pray for the electricity rate to decrease, that next month’s bill amount to just a couple of thousands of pesos. Oh, Lord, that would be good enough.

I came home from church last Sunday and what welcomed me was the CASURECO bill that smashed and broke the record’ of our house’s electric bill. Some three years ago, I restrained myself from getting shocked out of my wits upon receiving the bill which was worth more than P 6,000.00 for a residence with consumers that do not exceed five persons. It’s just me, my sister, my aunt, and a cousin and some brothers who would temporarily stay for a time, since they’re really based in manila. Since that landmark incident, we have taken extra effort for it not to happen again. We would check our appliance usage, unplug devices not being used, set a time for use of the aircon and all those sort. For years, we have been successful in that modest mission of not getting swallowed again by an electric bill that’s worth thousands. Now, I get smacked in the face of a bill that surpasses the highest one that we had. But, I’m going to keep my cool. I’ll keep calm.

I may have asked these questions before, but I’ll ask them again anyway. Why do the rates fluctuate? Why do we have a high rate on a certain month, then go to a favorably low rate on the following month, then hike up again the next month? Why can’t it stay low? Can it not be regulated?

Why do we have the highest power rate in the entire nation? Okay, maybe I don’t have the complete data. But, what is certain is that CASURECO charges one of the highest ratees for electricity in the entire Philippines. Coincidentally, based on conversations with friends from other parts of the country, we also have the most frequent and lengthiest power outages in the nation. Do power rates and power outages have to be directly proportional?

Okay, maybe we did consume a little bit more electricity the past month. Maybe, I would not turn the aircon for a while. But, it’s too hot and humid. Maybe, it would be frugal to just take a bath. The good thing with water is that the bill doesn’t shockingly shoot up. What’s this? Is this the most, the best, the strongest gush that the faucet can release with the knob turned up to the maximum? Can’t the shower gush with water to cool down this horrible heat like it did before? Maybe, they could do something. I visited my aunt when she was confined at a third floor ward at naga General hospital; and I sampled the rest room faucet and the water rushed like it was a fireman’s hose quenching some big fire. But we have to content ourselves with drip-drop and hissing release of liquid, and wait for the big Orocan bucket to be filled to the rim.

Less than a decade ago, it has been reported that the amount of water supplied by the Rumangrap Spring in Curry, Pili from which the water to every faucet in Naga and neighboring towns flow from has decreased in a significant percentage. That has already been a number of years ago. Apparently and naturally expectedly, it would continue to be depleted. So, as much as citizens would want to curse and complain. It’s not so much of a governmental problem, but actually a natural problem.

So, what do we do with it, then? How do we go about with this? This calls for innovative and unorthodox solutions. I heard of non-government organizations that conduct trainings on purifying clean, potable drinks from the murkiest of waters. Maybe, there’s a process to convert all these massive rainwater to make it flow through pipes and out our faucets, before they become useless and potentially harmful flood. I’m not too sure if it’s feasible to build a dam. Maybe small-scale reservoirs could be more practicable. Has anyone considered desalination? But, we’re quite a long way from the nearest shore. Are we pragmatic enough to consider reusing or recycling water?

Oh, wait. I have to think of something to do if the scheduled brownout pushes through tomorrow from 9 am to 6 pm. I still don’t understand why we have these power droughts but I just have to live with it.

“…had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink…” 2 Samuel 23:15