MANILA, Philippines -- An activist group is urging the government to suspend the planned sale of all the remaining assets of the National Power Corp., pending a comprehensive review of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

?It will be truly judicious if all scheduled asset sale of the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) is put on hold indefinitely and a review process on EPIRA set into motion,? said Milo Tanchuling, secretary-general of the Freedom from Debt Coalition.

Aside from postponing the bidding for the independent power producer administrator (IPPA) contract covering the 640-MW Unified Leyte geothermal facilities, FDC is also urging the government to hold the privatization of the Angat hydroelectric power plant in Bulacan and the Agus-Pulangi hydro complexes in Mindanao.

FDC, along with electric cooperatives and national and local consumer groups, claimed that electricity rates would ?certainly go up once these assets are sold to private players while communities lose control of their most valuable natural resource for energy and water.?

FDC also reiterated its call for the creation of a review panel on EPIRA.

In a statement, the group said its calls for the review of the EPIRA have been consciously ignored by the former administration despite the glaring indicators of its evident failure in bringing down electricity rates and ensuring reliability of supply.

?Not only were frauds committed in the process of privatization. EPIRA has in fact created more problems in the industry rather than ride out the debt and power crisis that it intends to resolve during its nine years of implementation,? Tanchuling said.

Once put in place, the FDC said the review panel should look into a number of concerns such the reasons for the continuing rise of electricity rates and the looming power crisis.

Other concerns include questions as to whether PSALM?s privatization thrust is consistent with EPIRA?s declared policy; why the wholesale electricity spot market is not working; why is there node-monopolization happening in the industry; why Napocor is still saddled with so much debt; whether the Energy Regulatory Commission is keeping true to its mandate; and if there are other alternatives outside of the EPIRA frame.

FDC further said that the review process must involve not only industry experts but also consumers, who, for the past nine years suffered the most under this failed policy.