The City Council has approved a resolution penned by Councilor Peter Fianza inviting the members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) and other responsible officers in the bidding and implementation of the privatization of the Asin Mini Hydro Power Plants.
In the said resolution, Fianza stated that the City Council passed Resolution Numbered 219, series of 2011 approving the Terms of Reference (TOR) and pro-forma contract for the privatization of the Asin Mini Hydro Power Plants.
Likewise, the council also passed Resolution Numbered 037, series of 2017 that confirmed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) dated 30 January 2015 entered into by and between the City Government of Baguio and Kaltimex Energy Philippines, Inc., on the rehabilitation, upgrading , expansion, operation and management of the said power plants.
However, up to this date, and despite the award and the issuance of a Notice to proceed (NTP), the contract has not started to the prejudice of the city which instead of earning, has been subsidizing the preservation and maintenance of the existing facilities since October 12, 2012 when the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) decided to disconnect it from its system.
With this, the alderman said that there is a need to apprise the city council on the status of the project and of such recommendations or alternatives to be considered, even at least, to have it made operational to avoid further losses on then part of the city. The said personalities are expected to appear before the members of the city council on September 10, 2018 to shed light on the said issue.