Bacolod City – Bayan Negros strongly denounced the management and board of CENECO, for their sudden decision to sign a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with Primelectric Holdings Inc., which it claims left consumers completely blindsided, by disregarding their concerns.
In a statement, Bayan Negros spokesperson Noli Rosales strongly condemned what he called an undemocratic maneuver, stressing, “Like thieves in the night, the board of directors and management of CENECO have blindsided and betrayed the consumers with their devious schemes. Shame to them for blatantly neglecting the interests of the people they are supposed to serve.”
Rosales said the recent incident during the Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) of CENECO on May 24 further exposes the lack of transparency surrounding this JVA.
The board of directors and management, he added, attempted to discreetly introduce the JVA, but concerned consumers registered their opposition and blocked their covert agenda.
Abang Lingkod Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, who endorsed and even campaigned for the approval of JVA by Ceneco member-consumers during a referendum on June 24 and 25, as well as July 1 and 2, challenged those opposing it to present concrete solutions to the problems of debt-ridden Ceneco, that has been bombarded with complaints of inefficient services.
Lay down your solutions, for us to see if your argument is logical, Paduano said.
The solon revealed that the Energy Regulatory Commission will no longer allow Ceneco to have CapEx (Capital Expenditures) loans, citing its pending loan of P800 million.
Bayan Negros issued a warning against the rushed and non-inclusive plebiscite scheduled for June 24 and 25, and July 1 and 2, which it said appears to be a mere formality, lacking genuine consultation and meaningful dialogue.
Rosales said that the promise of Primelectric president and CEO Roel Castro of substantial investments in the rehabilitation and modernization of the electric power distribution system, may sound appealing on the surface.
Still, it cannot overshadow the fact that this move essentially leads to the privatization of CENECO, he stressed.
Bayan Negros demanded an immediate halt to the JVA signing process, as it urges the CENECO board of directors and management to stop their devious schemes and truly engage in genuine and inclusive dialogue with the consumers.
“The fight is not yet over. The voice of the consumers is decisive. Through collective action, we can still hold the management and board of directors accountable for being traitorous to the interests of the consumers. Now is the time for the thousands of member-consumers to unite and fight back,” he further said. (Gilbert Bayoran via The Visayan Daily Star (TVDS), photo courtesy of TVDS)