By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
ASIDE from the spiking cases of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), there are two other things that keep on pestering Bacolodnons – killings and brownouts.
Since last year and up to now, killings seem to be “normal” in the “City of Smiles”. This month of June, four were gunned down in just a span of two weeks.
The latest victim was a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT+) community in the city. Thus, Bacolod earned the newest moniker as the “City of Killings” which Bacolodnons abhorred such label.
Then, it came to a point that City Police Director Manuel Placido expressed willingness to be relieved from his post if Bacolodnons think he is “useless” already. But both Mayor Bing Leonardia and the business community still trust Placido.
“Time (now) to boost the morale of the city police,” stressed Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) president Frank Carbon. “Let’s us avoid finger-pointing or casting blame on someone. Rather, let’s help our police. Let’s unite and work together instead.”
So it’s crystal clear now that because of the trust and confidence of the mayor and the business community in him, Placido must stay put despite public denunciations against his leadership in the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO)
But if he still has even just an iota of delicadeza left, he himself must force his feet out of the BCPO’s doorsteps as soon as possible. Simple as that!
On brownouts (forced, scheduled and unscheduled), Bacolodnons rich and poor are so “maddened” right now. Netizens on Facebook (FB) were “cursing” Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), including its current overseer, Atty. Dan Pondevilla.
But for the information of the public, due to his sterling record as one of the “best” general managers (GMs) that North Negros Electric Cooperative (Noneco) ever had, Pondevilla was picked by National Electrification Administration (NEA) administrator Edgardo Masongsong to also act as interim GM and project supervisor for Ceneco.
Since January, Pondevilla juggles his time as the concurrent GM for both Noneco and Ceneco. Everyone then thought he was a “messiah” sent by NEA to lift Ceneco up from the “eye of the typhoon”.
With the way he talks on various issues hounding the coop, people think Pondevilla is the “best among the rest”. Alas, for six months now Ceneco remains a hot topic for breakfast, lunch and dinner due to the vexing brownouts.
One time, a fellow journalist whined on FB, saying, “Nag-ano ka na, Ceneco?!”
Such was an expression of exasperation because of the frequent brownouts.
But candid as he is, Pondevilla really goes out of his way to somehow appease “angry” Bacolodnons.
Most of the time, however, his choice of words ain’t fit for the taste of the masa which constitutes the majority of Ceneco’s consumer-member-owners (CMOs).
Likewise, the way he phrases his statements sounds not so pleasing to the ears of the listening public, thus, interpreted the other way around.
In short, Pondevilla’s “magic” in Noneco seems to be less effective in a “politically prostituted” Ceneco.
What a coincidence, too, that, with Pondevilla leading, Ceneco now is weathering a series of “storms”. This, as the Wennie Sancho-led Power Watch Negros (PWN) is seeking a congressional inquiry on the controversial Ceneco-Kepco Salcon’s 20- megawatt (MW) power deal.
NegOcc 3rd District’s Rep. Kiko Benitez was asked to lead the House’s inquiry. But the solon is yet to respond.
The group demands transparency from Ceneco on the said power deal and decries the alleged over-contracting of power supplies which, according Sancho, will lead to higher rates.
Another group, Konsyumers Negros, was also born amid the pandemic and is now marching, too, against Ceneco.
Even former governor Lito Coscolluela also took to social media to ventilate his dismay over the coop’s “waggish choice” for coal or fossil over renewable energy.
Ceneco employees then feared about the rumored privatization of the coop. But the frequent brownouts in the city are amplifying calls to privatize Ceneco now.
The Gamboa Hermanos Farmworkers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GHFMC) is said to be interested in taking over Ceneco’s operations. This was after House Bill 8827 was then introduced by Reps. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque), Greg Gasataya (Bacolod City) and Mercedes Alvarez (6th District, NegOcc) sometime in 2019, granting GHFMC a franchise to construct, install, establish, operate , own, manage and maintain distribution system for conveyance of electric power to the end-users in the island of Negros , for other purposes.
But such remains to be seen.
Also, for the first time in history, both the business sector and the local government units in the province recently formed a Task Force Ceneco (TFC).
The public construed TFC as another watchdog aimed at scrutinizing all Ceneco’s dealings. However, it’ll just act as a “friendly” observer on how the coop deals with the new bidding processes based on the newest rules and policies set and established by the Department of Energy (DOE) and implemented by NEA in the manner of selecting or buying power by the distribution utilities (DUs) from various generation companies (GenCos).
Pondevilla welcomes TFC and its noble purpose(s).
But these and more constitute a “stormy weather” for Ceneco, which might compel Pondevilla to exercise not just prudence but exceptional managerial skill(s) to help the coop against the “killer slides” so to stay afloat.
If not, better for him to (just) go back to Noneco and let NEA choose another overseer for Ceneco.
Because, on record, most of the coop’s former GMs retired with either strings of administrative/criminal cases or battling against the deadly cancer.
Pondevilla should take note that stress and pressures to the maximum level remain as Ceneco GM’s secret enemies. And being in the so-called “lion’s den”, he should always be mindful about his words and actions relevant to the coop’s affairs and dealings. Else he’ll end up losing his “magical star” he patiently and earnestly acquired at Noneco.
Yes, Pondevilla is a lawyer by profession, which is quite an advantage compared to his predecessors in Ceneco. But Noneco’s “battle field” is totally different from that of Ceneco’s.
Management-wise both may have similarities. But as to the set of stakeholders alongside the peripheral and political pressures within, Ceneco could be “deadly” compared to Noneco./PN
