FOR the repair and maintenance of streetlights in Benguet’s capital town, the local government unit of La Trinidad and Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) have reached an agreement.
This year, La Trinidad filed a civil case against the electric cooperative for breach of contract for the repair and maintenance of streetlights.
Beneco and the local government unit previously entered a contract on September 13, 2008, with the electric cooperative asking to provide necessary labor and materials for the maintenance of streetlights.
However, Beneco in 2019 manifested it will no longer do repair and maintenance work.
Further reasons cited by Beneco include the electric cooperative incur too much cost handling repair and maintenance of streetlights with the LGU-given options, namely, for Beneco to bill 10 burning hours for electric consumption of the streetlights equivalent to a 20-percent discount.
However, the town has to handle the maintenance and, another option, Beneco will bill the town for 12 burning hours and handle the task of streetlights maintenance, but the costs of labor and maintenance will be paid by the LGU.
On Tuesday, Mayor Romeo Salda said they will no longer pursue the case against Beneco after a mediation.
Engineer Melchor Licoben, Beneco general manager, in a letter to Salda, said the counter-proposal of the local government unit for the repair and maintenance of streetlights within the town was favorably acted by the power cooperative’s board of directors.
He added the commencement of the repairs and maintenance will resume upon confirmation of the provision of the letter pending the signing of the contract by both parties.
As proposed by La Trinidad LGU at the Philippine Mediation Center on November 16, Licoben said Beneco will assume the repairs and maintenance of the said streetlights within the municipality with the following billing computations for unmetered streetlights: For the first four years, use 12 burning hours, for the fifth year until 2028, use 14 burning hours.
Salda added they hope to have soon the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with Beneco.