Members of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative Board have decided to set aside the proposed memorandum of agreement between Ceneco and Aboitiz Power Corp. on the recommendation of a technical working group, Ceneco president Arnel Lapore said yesterday.

Lapore was reacting to the request of Power Watch Negros (NIR) for the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Energy to conduct a full blown public hearing on the proposed MOA.

The MOA, if finally signed by both parties, will ultimately lead to the privatization of Ceneco, Wennie Sancho, Power Watch secretary general, said in a letter dated June 29, to Bacolod Councilor Alex Paglumotan, chairman of the SP Committee on Energy.

Sancho said the MOA was initiated by the directors of the Ceneco Board without sufficient consultation with majority of the Ceneco members. The Board also failed to disseminate to the consumers the impact of the MOA on the policy direction of Ceneco, he said.

“We are manifesting our vehement opposition against the MOA between Ceneco and Aboitiz as embodied in our position paper that was ratified during the formal launching of Water Watch on June 25,” Sancho said.

They are requesting for an inquiry or systematic investigation on the matter which involves the welfare and future of Ceneco consumers, he said. The directors should also explain in detail the rationale of the MOA, particularly its implication to the economic welfare of the consumers, he added.

Lapore said it was only a draft MOA and nothing was committed to Aboitiz Power.

The MOA was referred to the Ceneco technical working group, which recommended to the Board that, at this time, there is no need for assistance from Aboitiz, since hey can address the 10 items cited in the proposed MOA on their own, he said.

Lapore said the members of the TWG are committed to address these items and also recognize the improvement of their system under the watch of acting general manager Chuchie Destriza, based on the parameters laid down by the National Electrification Administration.

Meanwhile, Paglumotan said he submitted the communication of Power Watch to the SP for inclusion in the agenda next Wednesday since it cannot be taken up today because the mayor will deliver his “State of the Booming Bacolod Address”.

Mayor Monico Puentevella will deliver his report 2 p.m. today at the lobby of the Bacolod Government Center.*CGS

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