PASAY CITY – The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) claimed there are some electric cooperatives (ECs) in the different parts of the country which are being allegedly harassed by benefactors of private companies wanting to takeover ailing or performing distribution utilities and help in the government’s energization program for the realization of full energization by 2022.
PHILRECA General Manager and Executive Director Janine Colingan informed concerned stakeholders during a recent public hearing called by the Senate Committee on Energy that concerned government agencies and ECs are willing to partner with the private sector relative to the implementation of energization projects, especially in unviable areas around the country, but it is important for all concerned stakeholders to talk instead of being allegedly harassed.
The Senate Committee on Energy chaired by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wanted to elicit the stand of concerned stakeholders on the possibility of the private sector taking over the energization of unviable areas within the franchise areas of ECs with the use of various modes of bringing quality and reliable power to the remote villages around the country.
Colingan pointed out the entry of the private sector in the implementation of the government’s energization program, especially to bring power to unviable areas around the archipelago, is a welcome venture to help in providing the people in the countryside with the needed energy to spur economic activities and improve the living condition of people in the said areas.
Based on data obtained from the National Electrification Administration (NEA), ECs were already able to waive some 943 unviable areas in their franchise areas for possible takeover by the interested private companies, especially those involved in renewable energy. Only 3 initial ventures were realized while 9 potential private sector takeovers are still under process by the concerned government agencies.
According to Colingan, the mandate of the NEA in partnership with the 121 ECs is for the implementation of the government’s rural electrification program to guarantee the energization of all areas around the country. However, there are still numerous unviable areas that have been left out primarily because of insufficient subsidy from concerned government agencies, coupled with the rapid increase in sitios due to the growth of the population.
The PHILRECA official explained the entry of the private sector to help energize unviable areas will definitely be a big boost in helping achieve the government’s goal of energizing the whole country by 2022 but what is important is for the private companies to ensure that the rates being charged to consumers will be much cheaper than the prevailing rates charged by the ECs with jurisdiction over the unviable villages.
Colingan expressed optimism that the private sector will succeed in energizing the areas initially waived by the ECs to ascertain the commitment of the private companies in innovating the energization program that will guarantee the availability of quality power to the people in the countryside.
By HENT
