Anti-trust regime for power, transport too

CONSIDER THIS—feeble or futile as it may be—as an endorsement of the letter of Benjamin B. Agunod “Monopoly tries comeback.” (Inquirer, 6/7/11)

I wish to call attention, though, to a glaring omission in his letter—specifically, the non-mention of the regional monopolies existing in the power (generation, transmission and distribution) sector and in the highways transport (toll roads) sector.

The economic impacts of these monopolies on the consumer-public vastly exceed those of electronic communications.

Sadly the cell phone and texting mania appears to draw the greater attention of a public infatuated by those facilities’ novelty.

The inadequacies of “regulatory” institutions (Energy Regulatory Board and Toll Regulatory Board) under the resulting monopolistic market conditions cannot but similarly burden the consumer-public with oppressive rates. Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile has opined that the merger/acquisition of Digitel by the PLDT Group has violated no laws and entrusts the anti-monopolist policies to the communications “regulators” of government, whose track records—sadly—have been notoriously inutile.

Therefore anti-trust legislation, which  encompass not just the communications but also power and transport, should be enacted.

ALFREDO V. ASUNCION,
avasuncion@hotmail.com