While Central Negros Electric Cooperative is trying to collect from the Bacolod City Government its electric bill amounting to P262,131,299.80 as of Oct. 20, the head of the Office of the Building Official said Ceneco also owes the city P1.1 million in unpaid annual inspection fee.

Isidro Sun Jr. yesterday said they have asked Ceneco to pay its annual inspection fee for its more than 27,000 electric posts all over Bacolod City, which has not been paid since 2004.

He said Ceneco has requested for a reduction in their dues which they did not grant.

They hope the electric firm will settle their account before the yearend, he said, adding that each post only costs about P20 a year.

Ceneco president Arnel Lapore said if it is a legal and legitimate claim, they are willing to pay the amount. They will just pass this on to their consumers.

Lapore said the city just has to send them a demand letter and they will study how they will treat the matter.

If the total account is only P1.1 million, they might be able to include it in their miscellaneous expense and there will be no need for them to restructure the rates and pass the additional charges on to the consumers, he said.

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

Puentevella said he only inherited most of the accounts from the previous administration. He is trying to pay the current billing.

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 and now Bacolod Rep. 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.

P200M DUE TO CITY

Leonardia said that in the last resolution, the obligation of Ceneco to the city due to the franchise tax issue was already moving towards P200 million. The reason why Ceneco did not make a categorical demand to the city was precisely because of the hanging issue, and if one is on the side of the city, one should protect its interest.

But his (Puentevella’s) presentation that ignores this aspect, is a manipulative interpretation of the financial situation between the city and Ceneco. If he is truly for the interest of the city, he should demand what is due to it, he said.

“It is just his insatiable desire to put down my administration that he covers up with a deceptive presentation to put the blame on us,” Leonardia said. He is already in the middle of his term, and he still keeps, on blaming the past administration which is totally ridiculous at this stage, he said.

It only shows that he is using this as a cover-up for the non-performance of his administration, Leonardia added.

INCREASED COLLECTION

Meanwhile, Sun said that since he took over as OBO head, their collection in terms of permits and annual fees has increased to about P34 million as of June from P21 million last year, or an increase of about 50 percent.

He attributed the increase to their collection efficiency.

Meanwhile, businessman and residents are wondering why the present administration wants to hike market values of real properties when it is earning so much even only from permits and annual fees.*CGS

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