• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Following its endorsement by the Committee on Public Services chaired by Senator Grace Poe, consumer group Power Watch Negros yesterday urged the Senate to fast track the granting of a legislative franchise to the Negros Electric and Power Corporation, for it to distribute electric power in key localities of Negros Occidental.
Power Watch Negros said that the recent blackouts were already hitting residents and businesses in the franchise area of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) are “depriving the consumers of relief from summer heat and disrupting their personal and working responsibilities.”
It added that “consumers had been suffering for several decades from unspeakable ordeal, anxiety and mental anguish due to frequent power outages. Brownouts lead to increased expenses for households and businesses.” “Power outages disrupt our daily lives and business operations, drain resources and can lead to substantial economic losses. The social cost could lead to irreparable damage,” Power Watch Negros group lamented.
During the Power Consumers Conference it organized, a resolution was approved, aimed at expediting the granting of a franchise for NEPC to address the urgent need for improving the electric distribution utility in Central Negros.
In Resolution No. 003, Power Watch Negros said the granting of NEPC franchise “shall pave the way for our progress and development because a stable power supply attracts commercial and industrial investments that will generate job opportunities for the people, that shall pump-prime the economy.”
“We are most respectfully requesting for your positive action on this very important plea. CENECO no longer deserved to be a distribution utility of power, in its franchise area,” the consumer group claimed.
In a statement, Power Watch Negros secretary general Wennie Sancho said that most of the power equipment used by CENECO currently suffers from inadequate maintenance, hindering essential processes.
Sancho emphasized that the adoption of Resolution 003 Series of 2024 signals the commencement of a unified endeavor to tackle the urgent need for an accelerated franchise grant and to forestall the collapse of CENECO due to imminent power outages.
Power Watch Negros had previously cautioned CENECO to confront the issue before it becomes dire.
Our only ray of hope is the granting of the NEPC franchise – ‘a beacon of hope in this darkest hour’. It is the sole salvation that could prevent the impending collapse of CENECO.” Sancho stressed.
Roy Cordova, former Union President, underscored the importance of expediting the franchise grant and emphasized that the management of CENECO should also pass a resolution urging the Senate to expedite the process.
Consumers were also encouraged to collaborate through their homeowners’ associations to form alliances that would facilitate the acceleration of the franchise grant.*
