Those of us who have lived here for a very long time and those who have just came here know one thing for a fact. There are no cash refunds in the Philippines. You may if you’re lucky, get a replacement item or a store credit, but cash in hand, only when pigs fly.
For the last 15 years here on our mystical mountain in Bataan, we have our power supplied by a Co-Op, old Bach-Choy who totes his ladder up and down the hill towards the end of each month to read all the meters, and he often gets it wrong. A few years ago when I received a PHP 87,000 light bill being a prime example. He has gotten it wrong so many times I bought a new digital meter and replaced the one with the tiny dial lookin’ deals and the spinning wheel that he had so much trouble reading. We had it lowered to where he could read it without dangling precariously off that ladder made of scrap bamboo 12 feet in the air.
But the oddest thing is the yearly dividend refund that occurs one week before Christmas. We receive a refund (Cash infusion) and free food from our glorious Co-Op leaders. The amount is slightly over one month’s electric bill. Everyone shows up early and mills around smartly until the proceedings begin. I’ll wait at home until one of our vast extended family members’ phones and let me know the speeches are over and the distribution of what I like to call, our “Barangay Christmas Club” starts being divvied up. You can feel the excitement in the air.
This year on the way up the hill I met a very angry lady who received only 47 pesos refund and a tiny bag a food. After hearing her tale of woe I found out the reason. It seems that her light bill was two months in arrears and they collected it out of her share. This made no sense to her, and who was I to disagree.
It was like old home week when I arrived on the scene, a tent had been put up and smiles were the uniform of the day (Except the lady I just mentioned). Mayang fell into line and came back with two large bags of foods and 14,185.00 pesos to boot. I knew that the mall trip I just wrote about last week was on for the next day. I got to look at the money and then it was in my wife’s handbag, ready for spending on more Christmas gifts.
It the past there was animosity over the amount I received and the large amount of food we got. The money is ours as I still pay on time every month the largest electric bill in our area, between ten thousand and fourteen thousand every month. But Lady Gee our Co-Op president explained to the masses the why of it all. But the food, I give to my in-laws and friends as I have no need to keep it. It’s all Sari-sari supplies to begin with.
So they don’t like to refer to it as a refund, as that might violate some obscure Philippine law, so it’s called a dividend, so I guess I own part of the Co-Op. Remember I was raised in Boston and know little of rural life except for summers on Cape Cod. But this is the one time the pig flew, and boy, do those wings taste great.
Refund, dividend gift found money kickback or any other name you wish to called, suffice it to say, it truly is The Christmas Miracle.
Now here is Paul & Mayang wishing all LiP readers a most wonderful and fun filled New Year!
Meriam and I live in an apartment. The landlord gets all the good stuff. We just pay the bill each month. 🙁
Gary;
Then no miracle for you!
Hi Paul – This must be a local thing. Our co-op only takes or gives credit on over-charges. PhP 14K is a lot to come away with. Rates continue to rise. Co-op directors appear a little fatter this year than last. 😆
Paul;
The Co-op in the other purok gave nothing back, but their director does have a new car.
I have been receiving co-op refunds from my electrical co-op for years. It is called a dividend because the owners of the co-op are the customers. Every year, we vote on a Board of Directors. I don’t know if the Philippines operate their co-ops the same way they are operated in the USA.
Happy New Year!
Gary;
That is interesting information, as former city dweller I have no idea as to how or even what a co=op was. So thanks for that info. But whatever it is I got some money and my wife was happy. So I’d say our co-op is a good thing,I guess they do it here the same as in Big Sky Country.
We have two companys fighting for the meter reading contract, so we get two bills. So we pay the first one on time, then the second one shows us in arrears and threaten with disconection its a nightmare so we have to make sure we do not lose the recieipt.
John;
That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever heard, I think I do it the way you do it, but which one has the right to turn off the lights. That’s the one I’d pay!
I wish I new the answer to that one Paul, You know how it works here with the politics. He who has the most money.
John;
Your right; we’d be foolish to question the interworking of most things here, as even they don’t fully understand it. Have a great 2013!
I had to read this article several times to get some sense of what was going on here. Let me see if I have it correct. You were overcharged by your electricity provider, no credit to your account and no refund at or shortly after the overcharge took place. At the end of the year everyone that was overcharged or, overpaid was reimbursed and I guess the ” foods ” were interest earned by the electricity provider, passed on to you the customer ? What an interesting concept !
Best wishes to everyone for the New Year.
Bob;
In the distance past I’d been over charged but fixed it within a day or so, I bought the new digital meter to prevent that from happening again. Every year we get a dividend (refund) of slightly over one month’s power bill. Just because I have blue eyes, but the brown eyed people get a refund also, it has something to do with it being a Co-Op as Gary explained above.
If this operates the way co-ops in rural areas of the US do, this is not a refund. It is a dividend, the same as if you owned stock in a company. In some US states, large utility companies are required by law to purchase the surplus power generated by small, independent producers, like rural co-ops. From what I read in Paul’s article, this seems to be what is happening here. Profits made from the sale of surplus production are distributed annually to the owners of the co-op. In this case, the customers.
Take care,
Pete
Pete;
Well I’ve learned a lot this week about the C0-Op system. Dividends or refund, it will always be the “Purok Christmas Club Miracle” to me and the folks on our mountain, well, except the angry lady who only got the 47 Pesos,
This is indeed the season of miracles, Paul… Christmas miracles! Keep an eye here on Friday when I tell of my Christmas Refund. You’ll truly be amazed!
Happy New Year, Paul and all of the Thompson clan!
Hi Fearless Leader Bob;
A story about a refund, I’m a twitter with excitement and look forward to reading it. Here’s wishing you and Clan Martin the best the world has to offer in 2013, Happy New Year my friend!
Meralco here in Manila last month gave refunds too. Most probably a case of overcharging just like what happened before. Happy New Year Paul to you and your family!
Louie;
Whether it be a refund for overcharging or manna from Heaven, it comes at the right time of year. The best to you and those you hold dear during 2013 Happy New Year!
so the gist of this story is in fact that not ALL Filipinos are crooks, despite some out of touch expats in bars and McDo’s across the land rambling on and on to the contrary.
Nice to hear that this has been and is still working out nicely for your community. Have a Nice new year and thanks for passing along positive news!
Joe;
One should wonder about the intelligence of those they meet who sit and complain about the place they choose to live. Did they get a letter from the Philippine Government requesting them to move here? After they got here and found it was not to their liking had someone removed all the signs directing them to the airport so they couldn’t depart? When I encounter those types of losers I offer them a ride to the airport (As I still remember the way) and they shut up fast.
Like! Favorited! RETWEET!!! 🙂
Suelang;
It took me a few minutes to figure out your comment, but only because I don’t Tweet. But my daughters do and I guess some Tweet terms found away into my old brain. But after reading with understanding, I’ll say; “thank you for your kind words!”
Paul,
It does make you wonder why someone would live in the Philippines and bad mouth them all the time. I know Mayang likes the annual windfall. But thats what woman do. It’s good that your in-laws/friends benefit from the giveaway also. When i saw that food, i knew Paul doesn’t eat that kind of food. Anyway take care have a prosperous 2013.
PapaDuck;
Like in the words of an old rock & roll song; “People Are Strange”
As for our windfall, SM Mall had that money safely locked into their vault the next day.
Wishing you and Anne the best the New Year can offer, get back here soon.
The one thing that struck me, Paul is what are you running that pushes your electric bill so high? I know that my electric rates in the US are lower than yours, but PHP 10,000 + (over $250) per month does surprise me. My highes electric bill in this past year was $114 in August when I had my central air conditioner running a lot. Other months are sometimes below $60.
Larry;
The one thing that I’ve never sugarcoated about the Philippines is that electricity is high here. The rice cooker, I like to call the “Internal Flame” as I’ve never seen the little red light go out. But I do use a lot of juice and it’s my fault, as I never try to watch our usage. Other Kano’s around me have high bills but can’t hold a candle to mine. When I pass I know plugs will be pulled, but until then…
My electric bill is usually around P14,000 per month.
Bob;
So I’m not the only one, I’ll admit it was lower when it was just Mayang and I in the house, it was between 09 and12 thousand a month, but with my daughter and grandson here now, it has gone up. It’s just part of the cost of living here.
Ha ha Paul that dont count as they say here.
Its a divident not a refund.
I wish you many happy new years looking for a true cash refund
Corjo;
Well no matter what you call it, I still say it’s “Manna from Heaven” and I like all the people who run our Co-Op, hard working honest folks everyone!
The main thing is that you have enough electricity to keep your SM cooler going.
Loren;
That’s covered even if I have to fire up the generator, I’ll have cold beer and ice for boat drinks. Have no fear!
This dividend business came as a bit of a surprise, so I thought I’d ask the Minister For Finances and she’s just reported back that we also got a windfall of sorts….
11 peso.
:O