BACOLOD City – Injustices in electric cooperatives (ECs) must end now.
Employees of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) here demanded this during yesterday’s “Black Friday Protest”.
The personnel said they support the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (Philreca) and the One EC-MCOm (electric cooperative-member consumer owner) movement in protesting.
Clad in black shirts, the protesters were yelling: “Hands off our ECs; no to takeover; EC independence; we will not be silenced; we stand united for Beneco (Benguet Electricity Cooperative), Nordeco(Northern Davao Electric Cooperative), Ceneco and all ECs in Negros Island.”
According to Malou Parroco, head of coop-promotion section of Ceneco, the activity will be done every Friday until further notice from Philreca.
The protest came about as the installation of the new general manager in Beneco – chosen by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) following the death of the general manager – is being opposed by the employees there.
This concern has reached to the attention of Philreca, Parroco claimed.
Another reason, she added, is the possible takeover of the franchise of Ceneco by the Gamboa Hermanos Farmworkers Multipurpose Cooperative (GHFMC) in the future, once the franchise will expire.
Parroco explained that there is a pending bill in the House of Congress – House Bill No. 8827, which proposed to grant GHFMC a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate, own, manage and maintain distribution systems for the conveyance of electric power to the end-users in the island of Negros.
“We do not want that the EC will be taken over….We (have a) low power rate. (Also) Ceneco (is) a legacy…this was established during Marcos administration,” Parroco added.
Ceneco acting general manager Danny Pondevilla, meanwhile, advised employees to continue performing well to give better service to the public./PN
