BACOLOD City – About a thousand barangay officials in the franchise area of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) expressed support to the proposed partnership between the electric cooperative and Ignite Power.
The barangay officials were from the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, and Bago and the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros Occidental.
They gathered yesterday at the West Negros University gymnasium here to listen to Ignite Power make a pitch for a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Ceneco.
Roel Castro, president and chief executive officer of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) – the sole power distributor in Iloilo City and sister company of Ignite Power – led the presentation.
Barangay Captain Deogracias Dela Vega of Bacolod City was hopeful the JVA would improve power supply and distribution, and put a stop to power pilferage.
Many residents in puroks underserved by Ceneco were illegally tapping power because they were desperate to have electricity, he said.
Negros Occidental vice governor Jeffrey Ferrer, who is supportive of the proposed JVA, was at the WNU gym, too. He said the mayors of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, Bago, Murcia, and Don Salvador Benedicto back the joint venture also and that barangays leaders will help explain to their constituents the advantages of the JVA.
“Consumers have enough of the massive power interruptions happening,” said Ferrer.
He added: “All of them agree. Ceneco is inefficient. Good service and immediate action to power-related problems are the most important to them.”
A referendum for the JVA may be held this year, according Castro.
“We need a vote of ‘50 percent plus one’ of members of good standing,” he pointed out.
Ignite Power plans to investment in power distribution assets, added Castro, to improve power supply and distribution.
Ceneco serves more 200,000 consumers.
Ignite Power will make a presentation of the proposed JVA before city officials of Bacolod on June 5./PN
