By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) has urged the Bacolod City government to settle its outstanding obligations after the cooperative paid more than P92 million in real property tax (RPT) under the city’s tax amnesty program.

Ceneco President Dwight Carbon said the cooperative paid RPT worth P92,140,021.73 on Friday, July 3, at the City Treasurer’s Office.

The payment covers the cooperative’s RPT liabilities from 2007 to the present.

Carbon said the payment includes taxes on Ceneco’s electrical poles, substations and buildings located in Barangays Alijis and Gonzaga.

“We are hopeful that the city, through Mayor Greg Gasataya, will also settle its outstanding obligations amounting to P270 million so we can use the funds for Ceneco’s programs,” Carbon said.

He said the P270-million obligation was incurred during previous city administrations.

Carbon added that after Ceneco’s general assembly in September or October 2026, all member-consumers will receive tax certificates, making them stockholders of Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power), in which Ceneco owns a 30-percent stake.

“We did our best to settle our obligations so we could secure our tax clearance and execute the deed of sale for all Ceneco properties being transferred to Negros Power,” Carbon said.

Negros Power assumed operations in Ceneco’s franchise area in July 2024 following a joint venture agreement between Primelectric Holdings, Inc. and Ceneco./MAP, WDJ