IF the Commission on Audit (COA) would allow it, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the City Government could pay the unpaid electricity bill of Cebu City National Science High School (CCNSHS).

“If COA will not allow, I don’t like a disallowance,” he said.

Osmeña said he doesn’t want any disruption of classes in schools.

Although the City shouldered the electricity bills of the schools before, Councilor Joy Augustus Young said they can’t do it anymore.

Young, deputy mayor for education, said COA had told the City that payment for electricity bills should be charged to the school’s maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE).

Last Wednesday, officials of CCNSHS sought the help of Young to defer the disconnection notice that the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) issued to the school.

The school has five accounts with Veco and these have an outstanding balance totaling P544,249.69. Each account has an average of five months unpaid balance, said Veco.

CCNSHS principal Evelyn Pielago said the school had received a notice issued by Department of Education Cebu City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Bianito Dagatan informing them that the division office will no longer pay for their electric consumption.

Osmeña wants to know why the electricity bill of the school is high even during vacation.

Young also raised the same concern, saying that other schools also have high electricity consumption. (RVC)