SADANGA, Mountain Province – The board of directors and the management reported to its member-consumers during the Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) held at Sadanga, Mountain Province on May 27, 2017, that the Mountain Province Electric Cooperative (MOPRECO) incurred loss of income for the fiscal year 2016 due to natural calamities.
Based on the report of OIC-General Manager Nicodemus L. Andawi, the generation power consumption went down during the months of October and November of 2016 due to typhoons that hit the province.
According to him, the cooperative accumulated net income loss is Php 9,231,923.00.
It is to be noted that during the onslaught of typhoons Lawin and Karen last October 2016, the province was isolated and plunged into a state of calamity and total darkness for weeks.
Aside from the public infrastructures, agricultural lands and residential houses that were damaged, some electric towers and series of electric posts also were damaged causing brownout for three weeks.The eastern side of the province, particularly Natonin, Paracelis, and Barlig, experienced extended brownouts and aggravated by the closure of the Chico River Bridge as heavy equipment were not able to cross the bridge to restore power lines and electric posts.
During the general assembly, Roger U. Sacyaten asked why MOPRECO incurred such loss of income when in fact power consumption is minimized during brownouts. Finance Manager Darwin A. Facullo, explained that the cooperative is obliged to pay what is stipulated in the contract, whether used or unused powers.
The Board of Directors headed by Chairperson Periam A. Benana is optimistic that the MOPRECO power supplier will positively consider their resolution appealing for reconsideration of the computed bill for November 2016 as the reduced power requirement for the month was due to the effect of the said typhoons.
He added that if the company will approve their plea, the member consumers will be granted deduction from their respective power consumptions.
Meantime, the cooperative management was lauded for 100 percent (%) sitio electrification accomplishment and 99.66 percent (%) collection efficiency for CY 2016. This is attributed to the concerted efforts of the cooperative staff and personnel with the cooperation of all its members.
Meanwhile, it was not mentioned during the AGMA to reconsider also the other cooperative liabilities such as their real property tax obligations to the local government of Bontoc as was tackled in the previous assemblies.
By Alfred F. Macalling
