By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
THE MUCH-TALKED joint venture agreement (JVA) between Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Primeletric Holdings, Inc. / Negros Electric and Power Corporation (PHI/NEPC) is nearing conclusion.
Only two more plebiscite weekends left (Aug. 26-27 and Sept. 2-3) and the verdict of Ceneco power consumer-members will be known.
But as early as now, it seems that the “heavens are sending mighty notes” for people to be guided in casting their votes via reasoned judgments.
Three bishops of the Roman Catholic Dioceses in Negros Island recently released a joint Pastoral Letter re: JVA and the plebiscite being conducted in this regard.
Bishops Patricio Buzon (Diocese of Bacolod), Geraldo Alminaza (Bishop of San Carlos) and Louie Galbines (Bishop of Kabankalan) asked Ceneco’s power consumer members “to study the terms of JVA carefully and make reasoned judgments on its impact and consequences.”
“Make you opinions count by registering your votes in the scheduled plebiscite on Aug. 19-20, Aug. 26-27 and Sept. 2- 3 as ordered by the National Electrification Administration (NEA),” the trio further urged the voting public.
The gist of this joint pastoral letter is now being included in the sermons of Negros priests in their regular masses every weekend.
Ceneco’s Acting General Manager Arnel Lapore is happy with this development. The church, he said, is neither saying yes or no but is instead asking people to get involved in the process (plebiscite) rather than be passive.
“With this, the people are now conscious about the real issue (JVA). And this particular move of the Catholic Church is, perhaps, helping a lot for each and every one to choose/vote wisely,” he enunciated.
MATHEMATICS OF JVA
JVA needs to secure 50 percent plus one of the total 177,737 eligible consumer-owner-voters.
If computed, JVA needs at least 88,869.5 or 88,870 to be safe.
After the June 24-25 and Aug. 19-20 voting, total votes cast reached 74,163 or 42 percent.
The “Yes” votes got a total of 67,562 or 91 percent over 6,601 or nine percent of the “No” votes.
Again, if we compute, the proponent must secure the remaining 21,308 “Yes” votes to realize the JVA.
Lapore expressed optimism to, somehow, meet the threshold.
Too, the three bishops stressed, “May we enter into the plebiscite guided by sound principles that will lead us to attain the common good.”
Then, they again asked the public “to be vigilant and proactive in ensuring the plebiscite is done in an honest, fair, and peaceful manner.”
NEUTRAL GROUND
In turn, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director (Colonel) Noel Aliño said they’re “always ready” to secure the plebiscite. “But my men will always be in neutral grounds.”
He said he instructed his men not to side with any group – either pro or anti.
“We’re just here and there (in the voting venues) to see to it that the proceeding(s) will run peacefully as intended,” Aliño said.
LONG PROCESS BUT…
In case the “Yes” wins, Lapore said there’s a long process to hurdle still.
The JVA bills by both Congress and Senate will still pass through some “bumpy rides” before it’ll finally be inked as law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., he said.
One of these processes before reaching Congress is the need to secure an imprimatur from the National Electrification Administration (NEA), Lapore said.
And when the law is approved by the President, Lapore said, it’ll pass through the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience (CPC).
After CPC, the ERC will issue a License to Operate (LTO) for PHI/NEPC-Ceneco to start the joint venture.
“But along the way, while pending the tedious process, the PHI/NEPC-Ceneco can already implement the modernization plans (as specified in the JVA), especially in procuring state-of-the art equipment, replacement of dilapidated lines, poles, substations, among others mean to immediately arrest the system loss,” Lapore explained.
PROVEN BY EVIDENCE(S)
Anyway, it’s good to note that the Catholic church in Negros is guiding power consumers what to do amid the confusion re: JVA. Not an ordinary doing but, somehow, necessitated by some “moral implications” hounding the JVA controversy.
But the “beauty” is that Bishops Buzon, Alminaza and Galbines batted on the so-called reasoned judgments. Rare to hear, but when we say reasoned judgments, such are really anchored in information proven by evidence.
Transparency-wise, no problem with PHI/NEPC. The JVA is an “open book” for everybody to learn or read.
The fact the three Negros bishops already said their piece on the JVA matter, it is safe to conclude that “God is overseeing the issue”. He’s guiding every step of the process leading to the betterment of His people.
And as stressed by Saint Ignatius of Antioch: “You must all follow the lead of the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed that of the Father.”/PN
