By Mae Singuay
Multi-sectoral groups based in Bacolod City called for an orderly and peaceful plebiscite for the ratification of the proposed joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Primelectric Holdings, Inc./Negros Electric Power Corporation (NEPC).
Power Watch Negros Advocates (PWNA) and Utilities Consumers Association for Reform Inc. (U-CARE), which support the JVA, in a press conference at the Negros Press Club Building in Bacolod yesterday, are calling for peaceful conduct of a referendum in Ceneco’s franchise areas on June 24 and 25, and July 1 and 2.
Ceneco has 214,000 consumer-members covering the Negros Occidental cities of Bago, Talisay and Silay; and the towns of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, and capital Bacolod City.
PWNA secretary-general Wennie Sancho said they are urging Ceneco consumers to exercise rights in the upcoming plebiscite.
“The JVA signed recently did not spring like a ball of fire from out of nowhere. As a matter of fact, it came a bit late at a time when Ceneco is financially bleeding and it needs an immediate blood transfusion to survive. As an institution, Ceneco is about to collapse because of the heavy weight of system loss piled upon its shoulders,” Sancho stressed.
He said the PWNA would campaign for a “yes” vote for the JVA.
Sancho added that a plebiscite is likewise required by the constitution to secure the approval of the people directly affected before certain proposed changes affecting local government units may be implemented.
Ceneco and Primelectric/NEPC entered into a JVA earlier this month, which seeks to improve power distribution services in the electric cooperative’s franchise areas.
Primelectric is a sister company of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), the sole power distributor in Iloilo City.
On his part, former Ceneco president Roy Cordova, a pro-JVA, said consumers were dismayed and frustrated, and suffered exorbitant electricity rates due to mismanagement and inefficiency of the Negros-based cooperative, by its dismal failure to provide residents with an affordable and reliable power supply.
“Instead of comfort and convenience in our lives to be provided by a distribution utility, power outages, massive brownouts, and all forms of disturbances deprive us of a quality of life that we deserve as consumers,” Cordova said.
Meanwhile, Ceneco acting general manager Arnel Lapore said the JVA will become effective once the majority of 50 percent plus one of Ceneco’s member-consumer-owners will ratify it in the plebiscite.
Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Monalisa Dimalanta recently praised the service of MORE Power.
She said the city’s sole power distributor is efficiently-managed and complies with the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers.
“Other distribution utilities should follow MORE Power,” Dimalanta said.
“We encourage this culture of accountability among the regulated entities as demonstrated by MORE Power,” she added./MS, WDJ