MAYOR Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar has reaffirmed her support to the Investment Management Contract (IMC) scheme to help rehabilitate the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) and ensure lower electricity rates and 24/7 stable power supply in the future.
The move came as Salazar called for a full-blown investigation and or review of the alleged overbilling by the Western Mindanao Power Corporation (WMPC) in order to provide refund to benefit the member-consumers of the Zamcelco, now under the joint venture between Crown Investment Holdings Inc. and Desco Inc.
Salazar acknowledged that the power curtailment due to Zamcelco’s non-payment of its past accounts with the WMPC is a big challenge besetting the people of Zamboanga.
Nonetheless, she said this is temporary setback while the joint venture between Crown Investment Holdings Inc. and Desco Inc. is undertaking financial review of the alleged discrepancies in the WMPC charges.
“We will have difficulty but we assure you that our call for IMC remains firm because this is the best solution to prevent future blackouts,” she said.
In the meantime, she said Zamcelco under the Crown management will be using its generator sets to address power shortage.
There is an assurance that the issue of non-payment and alleged overbilling will be resolved in two weeks’ time, she affirmed. (SunStar Philippines)