‘No stepping on toes’ In NEA’s action on local power cooperatives

May 29, 2021 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY (May 26, 2021) – Filipino consumers group National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reform (NASECORE) is urging the House Energy committee to set aside the “self-serving effort” to probe the alleged overreach of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) on the selection of general managers of electric cooperatives in the country.
Partylist groups Philippine Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (Philreca) and Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) earlier asked the House of Representatives via House Resolution 1776 to probe in aid of legislation the alleged overreach of the NEA on the “screening, election and appointment of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives.”
Lawyer Rafael Antonio Acebedo, executive director of Nasecore in arguing against the proposed House inquiry, ‘probing NEA threatens the very independence, effectiveness and (its) raison d’etre,’ as he politely reminded House energy committee chairman Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo, “this case has nothing to do with public interest but everything to do with the personal interests of the HR 1776 sponsors and ‘the issue involves the controversy concerning the selection of the general manager of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) in which HR 1776 sponsors have take an unusual interest while dragging the House committee of energy to unwittingly serve their ulterior motive of pressuring NEA and favoring their candidate.”
NEA earlier endorsed lawyer Marie Rafael as the general manager of Beneco over OIC and Assistant Manager Engr. Melchor Licoben after a rigorous selection process, but the local electric cooperative’s 10-member board voting on May 19 opted to reject NEA’s endorsement of Rafael in a 6-4 vote insisting Licoben should be in the post because of the rule on succession, work experience and massive local support.
NEA however chose Rafael over Licoben over points garnered in the selection process. Nasecore believes NEA is just “doing its job in the regular exercise of its duties and function, in the normal course of business.”
There is no overreach, it insisted, in the selection of general managers of electric cooperatives, because it is inherent in the functions of the NEA to supervise the management and operations of all electric cooperatives citing section 4 (e) of RA 105531.
Acebedo, while citing the power industry law also explained that NEA has the power to issue preventive or disciplinary measures including suspension or removal and replacement of any or all
members of the board of directors and officers of the electric cooperative. It can also appoint independent board of directors in the electric cooperative.
Nasecore is also questioning the motives of the sponsors of HR 1776, claiming “(they) consist of party lists which have members who are officers or directors of electric cooperatives, thereby
placing themselves in a conflict of interest situation”. They cited in particular Rep. Sergio Dagooc of APEC and Rep. Presley de Jesus of Philreca, Rep. Godofredo Guya of Recoboda and Rep. Adriano Ebcas of Ako Padayon.
Acebedo claimed Rep. Dagooc is the incumbent general manager of Siargao Electric Cooperative Inc. (Siarelco) and Dinagat Electric Cooperative (Dieco), while Rep. de Jesus is the incumbent President of the Board of the Isabela Electric Cooperative I (Isabela 1). Rep. Guya was the formr general manager of Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc. (Dasureco), while Rep. Ebcas was the former general manager of the Camiguin Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Camelco).
Nasecore said Rep. Dagooc and de Jesus have pending cases for alleged violation of the laws prohibiting elective officials from holding private employment and private interests in companies in
conflict with their duties before the Ombudsman.
Pursuing “this ill-advised inquiry which in reality is not in aid of legisltation but in pursuit of the sponsors’ personal agenda with the NEA, which may have adverse, unintended consequences for
the electric consumers who are the real constituency and beneficiaries of the NEA, not those named congressmen,” the consumers group stressed.
Artemio A. Dumlao/ABN