ABOITIZ Power Corp. said its direct remittances to various local governments and barangays in Cebu under Energy Regulations (ER) 1-94 have reached P40.6 million as of end-September 2020, providing more funds for pandemic response.
AboitizPower and its partners downloaded a total of P15.8 million to Cebu Province, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Toledo City and the host barangays of their facilities.
Another P24.8 million from AboitizPower-led generation companies based in Cebu, accumulated as of 2019, has also been remitted by the Department of Energy (DOE) to the beneficiaries.
Under ER 1-94, host communities of energy generation facilities and energy resource development projects are entitled to compensation of one centavo for every kilowatt-hour (kWh).
The ER 1-94 funds are primarily meant for the electrification of areas or households, development and livelihood programs, reforestation, watershed management, health, and environmental enhancement initiatives.
A recent circular, however, allows the use of these funds to help mitigate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Brgy. Bato in Toledo City, the host beneficiary of Therma Visayas Inc. (TVI), has almost used up the P4.24 million it received after distributing relief goods to 3,200 families and 2,400 households.
“This really goes a long way for a barangay, especially now with Covid-19. We already finished our first and second tranches of relief distribution and because of the ER 1-94 remittances, we will be able to extend up to a fourth tranche,” Brgy. Bato Captain Rosalio Cereno said.
The Toledo City Government, which received P5.39 million, is planning to use all of its shares in the fight against Covid-19.
Part of the plan is to buy disinfecting equipment, personal protective gear, testing kits, agri-fishery inputs, relief goods, and to pay for the housing of frontline workers, among others.
“The City is very grateful for the assistance from Therma Visayas and AboitizPower, especially on the ER 1-94 funds given to the City of Toledo. TVI is the first to extend their assistance to the City and rest assured that we will be transparent with all the funds that they have given to the City and those that we planned to do with the assistance,” Toledo City Mayor Marjorie Perales said.
The Lapu-Lapu City Government has already spent over P750,000 of its shares to buy disinfectant for local isolation facilities.
Brgy. Ibo, the host community of East Asia Utilities Corp. (EAUC), also plans to use a portion of the benefits to purchase anti-flu vaccines for its residents.
“The transfer of the ER 1-94 funds was timely as it allowed the City to purchase alcohol and disinfectants, which were some of the items that the City did not have any existing budget allocation,” Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan said. (PR)