BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Consumer rights advocacy group Power Watch Negros reminded Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) that consumers are the ultimate judge of its performance and not the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
In a statement, the group led by Wennie Sancho said the award given to CENECO by NEA on July 29 was a form of “window dressing” or an instance of making something appear more attractive in an attempt to redeem a tarnished image.
“This is another uproar amid the controversies hounding CENECO from mismanagement to neglect of duties,” Sancho pointed out.
He said NEA itself handed down a Notice of Decision dated May 30, 2022 that six members of the CENECO Board of Directors were found guilty of Simple Neglect of Duty and were meted out the penalty of suspension for 30 days.
Sancho said it is a “appalling contradiction” that the CENECO directors who were penalized for securing an interim supply contract that was done without foresight and without due consideration with the prevailing rules were awarded by NEA without looking into their missteps of depriving member-consumer-owners (MCOs) of cheaper supply of power due to poor judgment.
NEA awarding CENECO for “lowest residential rate” was adding insult to injury, Sancho added.
“A public scrutiny of the financial status of CENECO shows that it is suffering from financial hemorrhage,” Sancho pointed out.
He further said among CENECO’s insurmountable financial obligations involving millions of pesos, to name a few, were the following:
* differential billing from KEPKO with its notice of default
* economic package in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between CENECO labor and management
* refund for overcharging
* P54-million security bond posted by KEPCO
* alleged P100-million loan of CENECO from a bank
“Power consumers in Iloilo City enjoy the cheapest electricity rate in Western Visayas. On the other hand, CENECO has to contend with high prices of electricity and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market price volatility because the CENECO Board failed to evaluate the best option,” Sancho said.
“Are the policy-makers of CENECO worthy of the award given by NEA? An award is an achievement for excellence. Are the members of the BOD and top management of CENECO proud of the award? In the final analysis, the consumers shall be the judge, not NEA,” he pointed out./PN
