“WE ARE looking for a better service so let’s vote ‘yes’ for the joint venture agreement of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) and Primelectric Holding Inc.”
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez urged the member-consumers, as he revealed that he was satisfied with the joint venture agreement (JVA) presentation of the Primelectric Holding Inc., a subsidiary of Iloilo City-based More Power, at the City Mayor’s Office along with the members of the City Council on Friday, June 16.
Ceneco and Primelectric Holding Inc. signed the JVA on June 3 in Bacolod City and they have the scheduled plebiscite on June 24 and 25 and July 1 and 2.
A plebiscite is a vote for which the electric consumers in the franchise area of Ceneco express their opinion for or against the JVA.
“I will be giving more details of what we’ve discussed and based on my three conditions, I’m satisfied with their presentation like to lower the electricity rates, reduce brownouts and power fluctuations, and to tap green power,” Benitez said.
He said on day one, Primelectric Holding Inc. will invest almost P2 billion in initial expenditure, or capex, since most of Ceneco’s equipment, which causes brownouts and fluctuation, is due for replacement.
He added that it’s time to have a JVA because Ceneco failed to address the problem of its consumers as well as to upgrade its distribution equipment including the replacement of its poles.
The mayor stressed that he has a very favorable endorsement of Primelectric Holding Inc. or More Power’s JVA coming from Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas based on his experience with the More Power services.
“So because of that endorsement, we can see their management style so if we are looking for a good manager, this is it (Ceneco-More Power JVA),” Benitez said.
On the issue of the Ceneco employees, he said Primelectric also assured that they will prioritize hiring them once the JVA will be approved.
The mayor disclosed that the JVA will bring better service, and lower the electricity rates, among others.*