The Rotary Balita no. 758 (November 18, 1954).

Manila Rotarians on Nov. 11, heard Meralco Vice-President Hermenegildo B. Reyes explain the operations of the vast electric system of that corporation in servicing five cities and 39 municipalities in southern Luzon. Reyes told his hosts that the firm owns and maintains 55,000 poles and 5,400 miles of wires of various kinds and sizes and has a total of 4,659 distribution line transformers having capacities ranging from 1.5 kva to 200 kva. In addition to these, it owns over 200,000 electric meters which make electric power available in private homes. He said that although the cost of electricity in Manila is higher than in the United States, the difference is not too big and that rates in certain American areas Boston and New York, among these are in fact higher. The Meralco's multiple problems in servicing customers were also cited by the company official, who disclosed that they are now furnishing electric lights to 241,643 patrons. Notwithstanding the 64 million pesos already spent to place the firm in a position to keep pace with the increasing demand for electric power; Reyes told Rotarians that the company has voluntarily decreased its rates from P.2125 per kwh charged in 1909 to P.0668 as of September of this year.