BACOLOD City-The management of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) explained the alleged unliquidated P437,000 meal allowance spent during the 43rd Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) held last Sept. 26, 2021.
The amount allocated for the meal allowance was already liquidated, however, some documents were required, and the same was accomplished, CENECO officer-in-charge Jose Taniongon said.
He clarifies that the meal allowance was charged against the budget for AGMA which was included in the NEA-approved Cash Operating Budget (COB) of CENECO.
It has also been approved by the board of directors per Board Resolution No. 13208, Series of 2021, the CENECO official said.
It reported that the Power Watch-Negros will request the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to investigate why it took so long for the CENECO to liquidate such an amount.
Power Watch Secretary-general Wennie Sancho said if CENECO has liquidated the funds, well and good.
“If not, they will file a complaint about malversation of corporate funds against all those involved,” he stressed.
Sancho said the P437,000 covered P61,000 for the 61 barangay halls that lent their internet access or cellphone load to the attendees.
The lion’s share of the budget amounting to P370,000 was spent for the meal allowance of 740 puroks in the 61 barangays of Bacolod, or approximately at P500 per purok and P6,000 for the service fee for coordinators, he emphasized.
Sancho said, “Collectively, we are the owners of CENECO in principle. So, as member-consumers, we have the right to investigate or know where the money is spent.”
Taniongon said, to encourage greater participation of the Member-Consumer-Owners (MCOs), the management recommended a meal allowance for the MCOs who will be attending the AGMA virtually in their respective barangays and/or puroks.
“This is also to meet the five percent minimum AGMA attendance as part of the NEA Key Performance Standards (KPS). With time constraints and intending to reach out to our MCOs even in the middle of the pandemic, CENECO employed the services of coordinators to assist in the conduct of the AGMA including the distribution of the meal allowance,” he explained.
Taniongon pointed out that before AGMA, a consultative forum with the barangay officials and MCO Federation was held last Sept.17, 2021, to update them of the latest happenings of the cooperative including the forthcoming AGMA./PN
