The Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) has sent a letter of intent for a joint venture agreement (JVA) with the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, NONECO general manager Wilbe Bilbao confirmed on Monday, Oct. 13.
The letter has not been discussed by the NONECO board yet, and the matter must to be raised with the National Electrification Administration, he said.
The letter of intent was sent last month, Bilbao said.
Rep. Julio Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District) said the proposed JVA “has been discussed. I’m for it but I reserve the right to review the process.”
San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, in a pastoral letter on Friday, Oct. 10, called for reflection and dialog on the proposed JVA between NEPC and NONECO.
In recent months, our Diocese has become aware of the ongoing discussions and proposals regarding the JVA, he said.
“I consider it my pastoral duty to help guide the faithful and the broader public in approaching this issue not with haste or emotion, but with prudence, wisdom, and a sincere concern for the common good,” Alminaza said.
The bishop stressed the need for careful study and discernment.
“Electricity is not merely a commercial product — it is a public good, vital for daily life, livelihood, and the well-being of our communities. Decisions that determine its
ownership, management, and accessibility must never be made hastily, nor be driven solely by business or political interests,” Alminaza said.
The bishop called on local leaders, cooperative officials, and consumers to undertake a thorough, transparent, and participatory review of the proposed JVA.
“Before any binding decision is made, we strongly urge open, honest, and inclusive dialog among all stakeholders — cooperative members, local government officials, consumer groups, civil society, and the Church,” he said.
“Let us create spaces where truth, data, and diverse perspectives can be heard and respected,” he added.
“The future of our local power system should not be decided by a few, but through the collective discernment of the very community it serves,” he said.*