Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Ma. Consoliza Laguardia vowed yesterday to implement a stricter policy against derogatory and humiliating portrayal in films of persons with disabilities.

Laguardia was reacting to calls by National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) officer-in-charge Mateo Lee Jr. for the MTRCB to have clear guidelines on how disabled or senior citizens should be portrayed in mass media.

The issue stemmed from a complaint filed by Manuel Batac, president of the Kilusan ng Makabagong Pilipinong Maykapansanan, Inc. (KMPKI), that several television stations air programs that negatively portray senior citizens and handicapped persons.

Lee said Republic Act 9442, which amends the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (RA 7277), prohibits the "verbal, non-verbal ridicule and vilification against persons with disabilities."

Dahil pagod na sa umano’y mga pang-aabuso ng Lopez-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) management sa kanilang mga kliyente, isusulong ng isang kongresista ang isang panukalang batas na naglalayong ideklarang iligal ang paniningil ng system loss sa mga kliyente.

Bukod dito, binira rin ni Citizens Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC) Rep. Joel Villanueva ang katulad na system loss sa iba pang public utilities operators na dapat matigil katulad ng Manila Water at Maynilad na ipina-pasa rin umano sa kanilang mga kliyente. Nanindigan si Villanueva na dapat ideklarang iligal ang pagkakarga ng systemn loss ng public utilities sa kanilang mga kliyente.

"If the company has half a heart, it can opt not to pass on to consumers its system losses, like Meralco does, especially in these times of crises. Party-list CIBAC is drafting a measure to prevent passing on of system losses," ani Villanueva.

Sinabi ni Villanueva na dapat imbestigahan din ng Kongreso ang Manila Water at Maynilad katulad ng isinasagawa ng House committee on energy dahil sa mahal na singil ng kuryente ng Meralco.

In the midst of all other issues griping the nation, public utilities operators like Manila Water and Maynilad seem to take advantage of the mind-numbing frustrations caused by the site of long-lines of people trying to avail of cheap rice and of the unending oil price hike, and quietly twist and circumvent the laws to gain more profit and unconscionably pass on the burden of high water rates to hapless consumers.

Last April, water rates were supposedly lowered by 20 centavos per cubic meter due to the strengthening of the peso but in less than three months, not long enough for anyone to actually feel the benefit of a supposedly lower water rates, the rates are being hiked up again by 21 centavos per cubic meter, this time supposedly due to a weak peso.

"The consumers are being yo-yoed by these unconscionable public utilities companies and it is very frustrating," says CIBAC Congressman Joel Villanueva.