IS THE persistent cry of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ceneco) consumers.
And they deserve so immediately, not later, because Ceneco’s deplorable electricity service worsens every day, hurting badly the consumers, businesses, and government service.
This is the first and immediate issue to be resolved.
If we take the recent statement made known to the media by its general manager, Arnel Lapore, one can surmise that the distribution utility is bleeding in debt and consistently losing.
Its aging facilities, poor operational management, financial mismanagement, deplorable customer service quality, and lack of capital expenditures (CapEx) and sustainability plan – all results in energy inefficiency and demand mismanagement.
Obviously, its present leadership and management cannot solve this because they are part of the problem that resists reform, rehabilitation, and modernization of the distribution utility.
The second issue is ownership. Who owns and who can decide the fate of Ceneco?
Legally and technically, it is not cooperative, though it has been exercising some features of a cooperative like the regular election of its Board officers. But for the rest none, not even claims to a dividend.
Its subscriber-paying consumers can claim stakeholdership, not really ownership, of the utility by virtue of their payment and right to vote.
Its existing Board of Directors and management cannot, likewise, impose their will without the consent of the consumers who placed them in authority.
In short, it is a pseudo-cooperative.
Under such conditions, it is the state that has legal and technical control over Ceneco. And the state is supposed responsible and accountable to the consumers who are in authority and with the capacity to ensure that consumers get the best service and rates they deserve.
But the state including its energy agencies is often at loggerheads with the people, the consumers.
In fact, it has long abandoned its responsibility and accountability to the people by pursuing neoliberal policies of liberalization, deregulation, and privatization because numerous state officials are also big business owners and landed oligarchs.
In short, don’t expect the state to do better and fairer for the people, for Ceneco consumers.
The consumers as stakeholders must take active part in deciding the fate of Ceneco.
The Board has offered a joint venture with Prime Holdings Inc. as its last recourse, admitting its inutility. The latter, obviously a big energy service provider, has welcomed the offer and vows to rehabilitate and modernize the utility and improve its management.
The consumers can reject the joint venture offer, meaning a status quo for the utility, a pseudo-cooperative. But can the consumers expect immediate and long-term relief given the indebtedness and inutility of the present Board and management, and worse, with the present anti-people, anti-development policy of the state?
The consumers can also support the joint venture offer, but under what acceptable and mutually beneficial terms?
Whatever course the consumers may take, I just hope and pray they should pursue their best interest – better service and a fair rate.
So, don’t stay on the sideline! Move and shout your hearts out! Or others will decide for you.