By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Dingras, Ilocos Norte—With Dept. of Energy Secretary Alfonso G.
Cusi recommending the cancellation and revocation of 17 electric cooperatives
in the entire country, the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative here joined 121
other electric cooperatives in the simultaneous “Black Valentine” protest on
February 14, 2019
As a result, all INEC
sub-stations held a “special flag ceremony” with all their employees wearing
black shirts to express their opposition to Mr. Cusi’s recommendation.
The protest was mainly in
reply to an advisory released by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives
Association (PHILRECA) Inc. which encouraged all electric cooperatives to join
and participate in the “Black Valentine” and “Black Friday” Protest to depict
that all ECs organizations and all their allies are “mourning over the inimical
acts of DOE secretary Cusi who also endorsed the approval of the HB 9179 and
making ways to revoke the franchise of electric coops and the acts of the
Congress in approving the House Bill 8170 which will pave ways to demise of the
missionary electrification program of the electric coops”.
The protest will continue
every Friday, hence the “Black Friday” protest, until the “hostile action”
against electric cooperatives stops.
A black flag beneath the
Philippine flag at their respective flag pole was also displayed by every electric
cooperative as part of the protest.
In a letter, also from
PHILRECA, general manager/executive director Atty. Janeene Depay-Colingan to all
electric cooperative managers, it is still deemed necessary that all the ECs
need to “express and stage the protest against the injustices being thrown to
the movement” despite Mr. Cusi’s withdrawal of the recommendation days after
its submission.
Ms. Depay-Colingan said the
protest “defends and fights” for all electric cooperatives because it has been
placed under public scrutiny and has caused damage to the movement’s public
image.
INEC general manager Engr.
Felino Herbert P. Agdigos said the “Black Valentine” protest aims to magnify
the gripe of all electric cooperatives in the country over the “discriminatory
treatment” of Mr. Cusi towards the 17 electric cooperatives which he
recommended for franchise revocation.
If this happens, Mr. Agdigos
said, this would “eventually and possibly lead to the precedence for the
revocation of the other electric cooperatives franchises and be invaded by
private businessmen”.
He said that the protest
increases the awareness of the member-consumer-owner (MCO) and the public about
the “unfriendly move” of the DOE secretary.
Father, defender
Mr. Agdigos also expressed his dismay because DOE is
supposed to be the “father” and “defender” of electric cooperatives but it
turned out to be the opposite.
These 17 electric
cooperatives are: the Zamboanga City EC, Davao Norte EC, Basilan EC, Sulo EC,
Tawi-Tawi EC, Maguindanao EC and Lasureco all in Mindanao; Abra EC, Pampanga
EC, Occidental Mindoro EC, Oriental Mindoro EC, Palawan EC, Camarines Sur EC,
Albay EC, Masbate EC, 1st Catanduanes EC and Tablas Island EC in
Luzon.
The protest will also
re-enforce the opposition of the electric cooperatives against the approval of
Congress to the House Bill 8179 otherwise known as the Solar Para Sa Bayan
Corporation Franchise all over the Philippines to construct, operate and
maintain a micro grid distribution system which is now under deliberation at
the Senate.
Mr. Agdigos assured that INEC
will continue to be managed well in order to protect the said coop and at the
same time follow the laws, rules, regulations and guidelines set by the NEA.
Owned by members
Likewise, Mr. Agdigos wanted to share and empower the MCOs, being
part and owner of the coop’s management.
“INEC is a non-profit and
non-stock cooperative and if these franchises will be revoked and be given to
private entities, they earn profits, and definitely the rates will be affected ket ngumato iti rate iti kuryente no isuda iti mang operate,”
Mr. Agdigos said as he cited this as an effect in case the cancelation pushes
through.
Mr. Agdigos added that
private entities like Meralco charges much higher power rates compared to INEC.
He said learned that last week, Meralco increased their rates because of
generation charges.
Reports show that Meralco
rate for this month is around PHP10 per kilowatt hour compared with INEC which
only charges PHP7.50 per kilowatt hour only.
INEC board president Enrico
Ruiz, for his part, said the MCOs are the present owners of the cooperative and
if big businessmen enters, “Namnamaen
tayon ton nga saan tayo a makapag boses ton nga kasla toy ar-aramiden tayo ita”
which will definitely affect the interest of the MCOs.
Mr. Ruiz added that INEC is a
consistent awardee as “Mega Large Triple A Cooperative” which is the highest
award given by NEA, which speaks for itself that INEC is performing very well, and
“We are ready anytime to show proofs
or documents that would show and proof that INEC has that good standing”.
Condemning the act
Mr. Ruiz also announced that the board passed a resolution
in support of the move of PHILRECA and NEA because of the “discriminatory acts”
of DOE.
Mr. Agdigos disclosed that
INEC only condemned the act of Mr. Cusi and that they are not calling for his
resignation.
Mr. Ruiz likewise said that
resignation is a personal act and the MCO’s only wanted him to listen to the
voice of the electric cooperatives.
PHILRECA speaks
In line with this, PHILRECA Board Resolution was approved
condemning the acts of Mr. Cusi for his “betrayal of the government’s genuine
total electrification program and his treacherous endorsement on the revocation
of franchise of 17 electric cooperatives without due process”.
On January 11, 2019, Mr. Cusi
recommended to the House of Representatives through Speaker Gloria Macapagal
Arroyo the revocation of franchise of the 17 cooperatives.
These, according to Mr. Cusi,
17 electric cooperatives are “underperforming and financially distressed”.
In the Board Resolution, the
recommendation of Mr. Cusi essentially and effectively disregarded the coops’
sacrifices during the last four to five decades where the partnership of
electric cooperatives and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) has
successfully energized 78 provinces (100%), 1,475 cities and municipalities
(100%), 36,057 Barangays (99%), 123,198 sitios (83%) and 12,713 million households’
connections (85%).
Said resolution also states
that if Mr. Cusi’s intention is for genuine total electrification, the best
approach is to support the ECs by rehabilitating and not disenfranchising them.
Mr. Cusi’s action clearly
showed that he is favoring and supporting private for-profit corporations with
absolutely nothing to very little experience in electrification.
The PHILRECA Board
unanimously agreed that Mr. Cusi’s recent action was more of a hindrance if not
outright obstruction and betrayal of the government’s total electrification
program.
Meanwhile, Mr. Agdigos also
took the opportunity to announce that INEC “strongly supports” PHILRECA as the
coop’s party list this coming national elections.
PHILRECA is the national
association of the 121 electric cooperatives throughout the entire Philippine
archipelago.
PHILRECA was previously named
as the Federation of Electric Cooperatives of the Philippines (FECOPHIL).
It was organized on July 1,
1979 as a non-stock and non-profit organization registered both with the NEA
and SEC.
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