BAGUIO CITY – The qualified and recommended applicant for the position of general manager of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) gave his consent for the immediate release of their emotional quotient, intelligence quotient and essay writing examinations conducted by the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Psychology and background investigation and initial interview conducted by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) screening committee for purposes of transparency.
In his letter to Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, chairman of the House committee on energy, Engr. Melchor S. Licoben, who was earlier appointed by the BENECO Board of Directors as the permanent general manager based on Resolution No. 2020-090 approved on April 21, 2020, pointed out that he is waiving his rights under the Data Privacy Act and shall hold BENECO free from any liability under the said law for the public to know who is really the qualified applicant to be in the said position.
The aforesaid documents are in the custody of the NEA-BOA after the screening committee transmitted the same supposedly to serve as reference in guiding them in coming out with an intelligent decision in the appointment of the BENECO general manager.
Licoben explained that giving his consent for the release of his examination results, background information and initial interview is aligned with NEA Memorandum No. 2017-035 or the revised policy on the selection and hiring of general managers of electric cooperatives that promotes transparency in the recruitment of general managers in the country’s power distribution industry.
Earlier, NEA-IDD Director Nollie Alamillio officially on record bared before the legislative inquiry in aid of legislation of the city council on May 19, 2021 that one of the applicants to the position of BENECO general manager has not submitted proof of one of the minimum requirements for the said post which was the 5-year managerial experience of a successful distribution utility pursuant to NEA- Memorandum No. 2017-035.
Moreover, the same manifestation was broadcasted by Director Alamillio during the legislative inquiry in aid of legislation held by the House Committee on Energy on June 2, 2021.
Ironically, in a Memorandum for the NEA Administrator dated February 1, 2021, the UP College of Psychology allegedly informed the NEA that Atty. Rafael was not recommended for appointment for the position of general manager.
On the other hand, based on the results of the emotional quotient (EQ), intelligence quotient (IQ) and adversarial quotient (AQ) examinations of the 2 applicants, incumbent BENECO general manager Engr. Melchor S. Licoben was reportedly way ahead in the IQ examination and initial interview.
According to the information that reached the BENECO Employees Labor Union (BELU) and the BENECO Supervisors Association (BSA), Licoben garnered a score of 96.30 percent while Atty. Rafael obtained only 87.83 percent.
The groups claimed that the NEA-BOA was appraised off the results that were obviously disregarded by the same for still unknown reasons. The NA-BOA also participated in the congressional inquiry but it seems the evident lapses on their part continue to be tolerated for whatever reasons that are only known to the alleged erring members. By HENT
