THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) has created “Task Force Metro Zamboanga” to implement improvements within six months to keep the Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative (Zamcelco) afloat.
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda announced the creation of the task force during an inter-agency consultative meeting Friday, August 15, with village officials, where they tackled the problem on power pilferage and measures to be implemented aimed at reducing Zamcelco’s mounting systems losses.
Almeda said the task force composed of general managers from Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Dasureco); Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative (Aselco) and Cebu III Electric Cooperative (Cebeco 3).
During the meeting, Almeda outlined the major challenges affecting Zamcelco, including illegal connections, unmetered households and unauthorized reconnections by disconnected users.
He explained that these practices drain resources, increase system loss and burden legitimate consumers.
Mayor Khymer Olaso urged village leaders to take an active role in addressing illegal power connections.
“We must look after those who pilfer [pilferage] the electricity,” Olaso said, adding that inspections will be carried out village by village to identify those who cheat the system.
Olaso called out for a united approach that combines strict enforcement with public education, ensuring residents understand the consequences of power theft while encouraging responsible electricity use.
Zamcelco Chief Management Officer Rommel Agan underscored that village cooperation is crucial in recovering lost revenues and reducing feeder losses.
Agan noted that community vigilance, paired with strong coordination between the city and the cooperative, can significantly enhance service reliability.
The meeting on Friday, August 15, also served as a prelude to Zamcelco's 46th Annual General Membership Assembly (Agma) on Sunday, August 17, where members will receive updates on reforms and operational progress. (SunStar Zamboanga)