Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya is supporting the bill filed by three Negros lawmakers that seeks to grant the Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) a franchise to acquire and operate the electric power distribution system in the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay and Bago and in the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, October 2.
Benitez and Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson also support the bid to grant NEPC a franchise.
It is a welcome move and with Gasataya there will be four congressmen sponsoring the bill, Benitez said.
House Bill 9310 was filed by Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod), Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) and Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) on September 25.
The electric power distribution in the four cities and two municipalities is currently being handled by Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO).
CENECO has entered into a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Primelectric Holdings Corp. wherein NEPC will take over its electric power distribution system.
The JVA was ratified by the CENECO member-consumers in a plebiscite.
Benitez said he likes the proponent because it will be investing in improving power distribution on day one of NEPC’s takeover.
NEPC will infuse an initial P2 billion to rehabilitate and modernize electric power distribution to make it reliable and efficient to consumers, businesses, institutions, and other users within its franchise, its spokesperson Jonathan Cabrera said earlier.*