By Mae Singuay
Approximately a thousand barangay officials expressed their support for the proposed joint venture agreement (JVA) between Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Ignite Power.
The village officials from Ceneco’s coverage areas — the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, and Bago; and the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto — gathered yesterday, May 28 at WNU Gymnasium in Bacolod for a presentation lead by Roel Castro, president and chief executive officer of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), a sister company of Ignite Power.
They have shown their support during the event by shouting, “Yes to JVA.”
Barangay captain Deogracias dela Vega said he is in favor of Ignite Power’s proposal because this will answer illegal tapping and energization issues.
Dela Vega said some of his puroks in Bacolod have yet to be energized until now, which resulted in some residents engaging in electrical tapping.
He expects that with the Ceneco-Ignite JVA, the problems of his constituents with electricity will be resolved because of the better service provided by MORE Power in Iloilo City.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, who was at the assembly, said all mayors in localities served by Ceneco support the proposed JVA.
The governor, who also supports the JVA, said barangay leaders must disseminate the presented advantages of the JVA to their respective constituents and consumers.
“The consumers have already realized the bad situations they are experiencing under Ceneco due to the massive power interruptions or brownouts that are happening,” Ferrer said.
The sentiments of consumers in Ceneco’s coverage areas are heard. That’s why all mayors welcome the JVA.
“All of them agree because they see and experience brownouts with Ceneco and its inefficient service. What we can hear most are complaints against Ceneco,” Ferrer said.
“Good service and immediate response to problems, that’s the most important to us consumers,” he added.
For his part, Castro revealed that they are eyeing an investment asset purchase of P1.7 billion with Ceneco, depending on the total asset distribution.
“We are ready for P2 billion and a total investment pegged at P3.7 to P4 billion with the JVA,” Castro said.
For this thing to happen, he said a referendum should be conducted, hoping that it will be held within this year.
“We need a vote of 50 percent plus one of members of good standing,” he pointed out.
Castro said the support of the barangay officials for the JVA was an initial acceptance.
“But we need to do more efforts because we need not only the approval of barangay officials, but of more than 200,000 consumers of Ceneco,” he explained.
He said MORE Power will make a presentation of the proposed JVA before Bacolod City officials on June 5./MS, WDJ