• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The franchise being sought by the Negros Electric Power Corporation from the Senate has been granted.
During its plenary session yesterday, presided over by Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri, the NEPC franchise, or House Bill number 9805, got affirmative votes from 22 senators.
HB 9805 allows NEPC to establish, operate, and maintain a distribution system for supplying electric power to end-users in the following areas within Negros Occidental: the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay, and Bago; and the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, through a Joint Venture Agreement with Central Negros Electric Cooperative.
Senator Grace Poe, Senate committee chairperson on Public Services, thanked her colleagues for supporting the bill, as she underscored that the legislative measure aims to enhance consumer services, by providing them with continued access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.
“It is my hope that the granting of franchise would pave the way for better and more expansive power service in the country,” Poe said.
“House Bill No. 9805 is a result of the public’s clamor for better service in Central Negros Occidental, which CENECO currently serves. NEPC also expressed its readiness and willingness to invest capital in modernizing the distribution system and addressing operational challenges,” Senator Poe stated in the previous deliberations.
She also commended the initiative of both CENECO and NEPC for crafting the joint venture, stating, “What’s great about this agreement is that both parties share the goal of improving the electric service for Negrenses.”
“As legislators, we must remain open to the changing times. Our duty is to be responsive to the needs of our constituents, both now and in the future,” the lady senator continued.
Senator Poe also highlighted that the new franchise will attract investors.
“We are also striving to create a business-friendly environment because doing so will ensure the success of this venture and future endeavors,” she added.
The representatives of both houses of Congress are expected to meet through a bicameral conference to fine-tune the law’s final version before sending it to the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.*
