SHADOW PLAY: As a rule, actors do not write the script nor direct the action, much in the same way that broadcasters seldom research and write the news reports they read before the TV camera.

We have to keep this in mind when weighing the real value of such characters as movie star Fernando Poe Jr. and broadcaster Noli de Castro, who are eyeing the presidency. We must not mistake the shadow for the substance.

It was then silly for Lakas barker Heherson Alvarez to demand that FPJ, the likely opposition standard bearer in the 2004 presidential election, present first his platform of government.

As we said, actors do not write the script. (But neither do presidents and senators write their platforms of government before they run for the highest post in the land.)

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GHOST-WRITTEN: The drafting of a platform of government is just like the holding of a high school essay-writing contest where the parents sometimes write/rewrite the entries for their competing children.

In politics, candidates hire writers and political scientists to piece together a beautiful platform embracing all motherhood statements that a broad swathe of the electorate would love to hear.

(This preoccupation with platforms disregards the appalling truth that, in this country, nobody bothers to read or take seriously so-called platforms of government. Why should they when candidates themselves do not even read the “platforms” or programs of government ghost-written for them?)

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NAPOCOR DEBTS: Unknown to most power consumers, our financial burden is not confined to our monthly electric bills, but also includes the mind-boggling dollar debts of the National Power Corp.

The Napocor’s debt has ballooned to a principal obligation of $6.7 billion, or $9.2 billion with interest added. The dollar amount is so big that we are afraid to compute how much it is in pesos. Whether we agree or not, we taxpayers will have to pay for that!

This year, Napocor is to pay $648 million for debt service, next year $633 million. Those are dollar figures! Since the power firm enjoys sovereign guarantee, the government assumes its obligations when it cannot pay — which has been the usual case the past several years.

When the government pays for Napocor’s gargantuan debts, it is actually taxpayers who are footing the bill. That is why in addition to paying our exorbitant electric bills, we also will have to pay the dollar-denominated debts of the state electric firm.

The road to Calvary for consumers is long, dark and bumpy, considering that Napocor is expected to incur P70 billion in losses this year and P113 billion next year. Whew, those are in pesos this time.

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GOV’T DOESN’T CARE: Who in government is looking after the interests of consumers? Nobody.

Government officials whose salaries, perks and expensive upkeep we pay for are always on the side of the power producers and the distributors when electric rates and mode of service are being discussed.

From the time the franchises of power firms are debated and approved in Congress, to the fixing of rates by the Energy Regulatory Commission, to the final reckoning when thorny issues are tossed to Malacanang for resolution, who pleads the case of consumers? Nobody.

There is something seriously wrong in such a setup that is rigged against the consuming public. Who is correcting the inequity? Nobody.

It is timely to remind everybody, especially those who presume to wield power over the lives of people, that there is a limit to human patience.

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POWER CRISIS: With the failure of government to address problems plaguing the power sector, industry sources are telling us that power blackouts are inevitable.

Experts paint the dark scenario of another power crisis coming up, reminiscent of the 6-12-hour daily blackouts in 1989-1993 that inflicted immeasurable damage to the economy.

Mindanao and the Visayas are already experiencing daily power interruptions. With intermittent power fluctuations and brief unscheduled brownouts in Metro Manila, they say that it is just a matter of time before the Luzon grid falters.

What is the government doing to forestall the looming power crisis? That is, aside from coddling independent power producers (IPPs) that are thought to be the industry’s savior.

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ELEVENTH HOUR: Even with a weak economy, power demand continues to grow by 6-8 percent yearly.

At the rate the situation has been deteriorating, experts say that the power shortage in Luzon would occur either in 2006 or 2007. Considering that a five-year lead-time is needed to finance and build power plants, we are already in the eleventh hour.

The Napocor has no capability to build power plants as it appears headed for bankruptcy unless sold to moneyed investors before total collapse. Its expected loss of P113 billion next year is roughly a third of the consolidated Public Sector Deficit (CPSD).

Malacanang may find in the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) a convenient excuse for its inaction. The law prohibits government from signing new IPP contracts or building new power plants.

The exception is when the president certifies to Congress that there is a power crisis. This is not much different from that time when Congress gave emergency powers to President Ramos in the 90s.

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CONFUSED POLICY: Power experts blame bad government policy that has veered towards populism and subsidies, largely ignoring the hard socio-economic facts facing private companies running the various sectors of the power industry.

Among the obvious socio-economic facts are the increasing prices of fuel, the deteriorating value of the peso and the continued instability of the political scene. The situation is not attractive to investors.

Without meaning to absolve private power firms, we note that power businesses at the end of the distribution line, such as Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and power cooperatives, are caught in this confused official policy.

For instance, when the Supreme Court ordered Meralco to refund its customers of more than P30 billion in charges collected from 1994 to 2003, the firm had been in difficult talks with creditors attempting to refinance its loans.

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GMA DILEMMA: Meralco’s rating from international agency Standard and Poors has been reduced to “CC” — which is a warning that a debt default could be imminent.

Meralco has more than P11 billion in obligations maturing before the end of 2003, which is just a month from now, but it reportedly has only less than half of that amount.

The domino effect of a default by Meralco cannot be confined to the Lopez-controlled firm. Its collapse could drag down the entire power industry and the manufacturing sector, if not the whole economy itself.

The Arroyo administration is in a dilemma. While it has to show concern for consumers and display populist inclinations on its way to the May 2004 elections, it cannot let major industry players fend for themselves and fall.