By Mae Singuay
The Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) said there will be no more plebiscite to be conducted after “yes” votes have already reached the threshold that will ratify the joint venture agreement (JVA) between the cooperative and Primelectric Holdings Inc./Negros Electric Power Corporation.
Arnel Lapore, Ceneco’s acting general manager, said their board of directors have acted out the memorandum from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) dated August 30, authorizing the cooperative to terminate the remaining voting dates on September 2 and 3.
The memorandum also directed Ceneco, through its Overall Plebiscite Committee (OPCOM), to conduct final canvassing of the plebiscite’s consolidated returns in accordance with NEA’s guidelines.
The Negros-based electric cooperative is also advised to submit the final canvass of votes and a verified certification of results to NEA.
Lapore said Ceneco acted on the memo by conducting a special board meeting yesterday, August 31.
In a letter dated August 28, Lapore has requested NEA to cancel the remaining voting dates in the plebiscite scheduled this weekend.
Meanwhile, NEA administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said they agreed with Ceneco’s request that the votes that will be garnered during the plebiscite’s remaining days would no longer materially affect the result.
It is now mathematically impossible to overturn the affirmative majority vote cast by the total eligible voters, he added.
“Accordingly, this office resolves that the termination of the plebiscite voting period is warranted under the circumstances stated, and that Ceneco is directed to proceed with the final canvassing of the consolidated returns in accordance with the guidelines,” Almeda said.
Ceneco conducted the plebiscite on June 24 and 25, August 19, 20, 26, and 27, where a majority of the cooperative’s member-consumer-owners (MCOs) voted “yes” for the JVA.
Lapore said OPCOM’s partial official canvass showed a total of 105,540 votes had been cast, which garnered 98,591 “yes” votes and 6,899 “no” votes.
Ceneco has a total of 178,236 eligible voters for the JVA, from franchise areas in Negros Occidental cities of Bago, Talisay and Silay, the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, and capital Bacolod City.
The plebiscite emanated from the JVA signed by Ceneco and proponent Primelectric was purposely to improve the services of the electric distribution in its franchise area, which needs ratification of the majority of the member-consumers./MS, WDJ