Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said he will meet with officials of Central Negros Electric Cooperative to discuss the city’s outstanding electricity bills with the electric cooperative.

Ceneco general manager Sulpicio Lagarde Jr. had written Puntevella appealing for the settlement of the city’s outstanding electricity bills of P262,131,299.80 as of Oct. 20.

Puentevella said he is wondering why suddenly CENECO is trying to collect the city’s account.

He said the city is trying to pay its current bills with Ceneco. Most of the accounts have only been inherited from previous administration.

In his letter to Puentevella dated October 20, Lagarde said the influx of investors to Bacolod is beginning to stretch Ceneco’s ageing distribution system.

Lagarde said outstanding LGU electricity bills can become fertile source of funds to finance CAPEX projects without resorting to increase in power rates since these were advanced by Ceneco to the generation companies.

Lagarde said the city owes Ceneco about P265 million since the time of former Mayor Luzvimvinda Valdez and this increased during the time of former Mayor Evelio Leonardia up to the present.

The city however claims that Ceneco also owes it franchise taxes that it has never paid, and could offset the amount it is trying to collect.

Lagarde said Talisay also owes Ceneco about P32 million for 2013 to 2014 and Murcia has accounts with Ceneco amounting to about P4 million.

He said Bago City and Don Salvador Benedicto also have outstanding accounts with Ceneco.*CGS

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