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Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Veco franchise given 180 days
CEBU -- The 25-year franchise of the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) expired Tuesday with no word from the National Electrification Commission (NEC) whether its application for renewal was approved.
Veco, which serves over 225,000 households and 22,000 business clients in Metro Cebu, has assured that its service will remain, but it also did not receive a copy of the "authority to continue to operate" that the NEC reportedly granted.
At the Capitol, Gov. Pablo Garcia urged congressmen and local government units in the four congressional districts that are in Veco's franchise area to take a stand on the issue of the power firm's franchise.
The Cebu Provincial Board (PB), through Vice Gov. John Gregory "John-john" Osmeņa, can ask Sen. John "Sonny" Osmeņa to withdraw opposition to the application of Veco, Garcia said.
"Iyang hangyoon iyang pinalanggang amahan (He can ask his beloved father)," he said of John-john, who is the senator's son.
Garcia noted that Sonny's opposition is indicative of his "vindictive" nature. Sonny's fight with Veco can be traced back to his elder brother Jesus Garcia Sr., who acted as Veco lawyer, and then Jesus' son Jesus Jr., the governor said.
Top Veco top officials were in Manila Tuesday to discuss with NEC officials the renewal of the franchise, Veco corporate secretary Zoilo Cortes said.
Senator Osmeņa earlier told reporters that it was understandable that the NEC refused to grant Veco a new franchise because "it has no power to do so."
He said that under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira), it is now the Congress that has the power to approve Veco's franchise.
Veco officials said Veco has applied for renewal and has complied with all the requirements three years ago.
A Veco official, who requested anonymity, said that despite the passage of Epira in 2001, the La Union Electric Co. filed for renewal of franchise in 2000 and was approved last September.
He said the application for franchise for Bohol Light Power Co., owned by Salcon Power Corp., was filed in 2000 and was approved in 2002.
"It can be noted here that Veco was singled out because Osmeņa has interest in it," the official said.
Evangeline Moises of the NEC public relations department said that as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, no communication was forwarded to them in connection with the Veco franchise. EOB/KMF
(December 10, 2003 issue)
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