Member-Consumers Support CENECO Privatization | Negros Power

The Negros Power franchise has already reached the Philippine Senate and has received good words and support from Senator Grace Poe. Poe, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Services, said that with rapid development in the service area, cooperatives can no longer cope with the energy demands. Hence, she supports the CENECO privatization and even encourages employees to apply to the new company to ensure further employment. A couple of weeks ago, there was a report that CENECO employees would go on strike. But the notice was immediately quashed by union members. And now, the member-consumers are expressing their support for the privatization of CENECO as they look forward to better services in the future.

• Read: CENECO Employees Urged to Apply at Negros Power

Consumers Give Nod to CENECO Privatization

The homeowners-consumers, composed of community associations of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, represented by their Chairpersons, officially stated support for the granting of a Congressional franchise to Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC).

The representatives from Central Negros sponsored House Bill No. 9310 for the privatization of the electric power distribution in this part of the region to improve the services. The bill is currently pending in the Committee on Public Services in the Senate.

In a joint statement, they voiced their disappointment in the service of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO), claiming that this affects their daily living.

“CENECO, as an Electric Cooperative distribution utility, miserably failed to provide us with adequate power supply, resulting in massive blackouts, power outages, and brownouts. We were deprived of our need for a reliable power supply and efficient services for several decades, despite paying our monthly bills religiously,” said Jesben Duday, Chairperson of Parents of Purok Riverside Incorporated.

Meanwhile, Julie Alob, Chairperson of Banago Yuhom Takers Association, also expressed dismay at the high systems loss of the cooperative. “The services of CENECO are inadequate contrary to our expectations. We have to bear the financial burden of the systems loss incurred by CENECO, but being passed on to our electricity rate charges.”

The Burden of Unreliable Power

The women’s organization also summarized their burdens whenever they suffered unscheduled power interruptions.

“Electricity is a basic necessity that affects the lives of all our family members and homeowners. We need electricity to prepare meals and to get news and information from the radio and television. Without power or energy, there is no water supply for drinking, personal hygiene, and daily chores at home. The safety and security of our homes and family members are in danger without light in the night’s darkness,” said Nona Dela Cruz, Chairperson of Tinagong Paraiso Empowered Women’s Organization.

In the same vein, Jun Mart Tan, Mahimulaton Home Owners Association Chairperson, also expressed their frustrations over the CENECO’s poor customer service: “Instead of comfort and convenience, we have been suffering from inconvenience and frustrations that we do not deserve as consumers due to poor consumer care.”

They believe there is an urgent need to rehabilitate the infrastructure of CENECO. Moreover, they also believe that only a private distribution utility with the financial capability, including technical and managerial expertise, can execute changes.

“We support the Congressional franchise application of NEPC, hopefully, to end, if not minimize power outages and other forms of frequency disturbances,” they stated in the joint statement submitted to the Senate.

Overwhelming Support

The member-consumer-owners overwhelmingly approved the Joint Venture of CENECO and NEPC in a plebiscite held last year. This just shows the consumers’ overwhelming support for the CENECO privatization.

Primelectric Holdings Incorporated, the mother company of NEPC, will purchase all the electric distribution assets of CENECO through 70 percent cash and 30 percent share. Once the NEPC gets the congressional franchise, the CENECO privatization becomes official, allowing them to operate in the service areas.

The CENECO service area covers the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Silay, and Talisay, and the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto.

• Read: SecuRE Negros: Ensuring Power Security with Renewable Energy