Beneco fiasco/ Resto still dumping human waste in barangay

BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY –  Stakeholders on the Benguet Electric Cooperative dispute particularly its members-consumers-owners were caught unaware when National Electrification Agency Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda  suddenly visited the Beneco main headquarters Wednesday with Mayor Benjamin Magalong announcing major changes in the power firm.
    A press conference was held. To make a long story short, he announced the removal of “general manager” lawyer Ana Marie Paz Rafael, board members and suspend some officials.
    These included engineer Melchor Licoben, who was appointed by the Beneco board of directors as GM and had been running affairs of the company years already.
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Almeda said dismissal of the board and suspension of Beneco officers was caused by “adverse findings” and observations on financial and management audit done on the electric cooperative from January 2018 to Dec. 31, 2020.
    Dismissed board members included lawyer Esteban Somngi, Rocky Aliping, Enrique Moresto, Jonathan Obar, Robert Valentin, Josephine Tuling, Luke Gomeyac, Peter Busaing, Jeffred Acop, Mike Maspil and James Aclopen.
    The NEA revoked its probationary appointment of former Presidential Communications Operations Office assistant secretary Rafael because the status of Beneco as a Class AAA cooperative was downgraded to Class C during her term.
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In the first place, if the NEA had not appointed Rafael as GM, Beneco operations would have gone smoothly.
    It was actually NEA which started the fiasco until it reached the point that Beneco was having a hard time paying its power suppliers as banks froze its money like the P58 million which suddenly came under the control of Rafael.  
    Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla designated Almeda as project supervisor of Beneco.
Almeda was tasked to supervise management of Beneco and approve or disapprove Beneco board resolutions.
    Almeda designated engineer Ramel Rifani, incumbent manager of Beneco's Non-Network Services Department, as GM for six months or until a regular GM is appointed.
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As acting GM, Rifani will manage day-to-day operations of the electric cooperative, exercise powers to hire, fire, approve and disapprove personnel employment and movement, subject to prior approval of Task Force Beneco, acting as electric cooperative's board of directors and confirmation of the project supervisor; sign or countersign checks, withdrawal slips and other banking transactions for and in behalf of the cooperative with all banks where Beneco has an account and perform tasks assigned by NEA.
    Almeda ordered creation of Task Force Beneco composed of representatives from multi-sectoral groups to serve as the electric cooperative's interim board of directors for six months or until such time that the new members shall have been elected by MCOs.
    Chairman of the task force is Steve Cating representing the business sector while members are lawyer George Dumawing from the consumer/professional sector, Rodolfo de Guia from religious sector, Dr. Elma Donaal from the academe and Joaquin Geronimo Depalog Jr. from agriculture sector.
    The Task Force Beneco chairman and the acting general manager shall serve as signatories in the issuance of checks, withdrawal slips and other banking transactions of Beneco with all its depository banks.
    Actions, decisions or resolutions of the task force shall be subject to the confirmation of the NEA.
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These, in essence are developments in the power struggle between NEA and Beneco leaving MCOs uncertain on next developments.
    Some MCOs are questioning the delineation of the NEA’s power over electric cooperatives like in selection of board members.
    All of the interim board members never had any experience working or running an electric cooperative, a netizen posted online.
    Another said the NEA should have immediately scheduled a general assembly so the MCOs would have selected board members of their choice.
    There are still many questions unanswered, considering cases are still being litigated in court related to ownership or management of Beneco.   
    One said the NEA put the cart ahead of the horse by instituting changes like the latest appointments and firings considering cases have not yet been decided by the courts on Beneco-related matters.
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Mayor Magalong ordered the City Environment and Parks Management Office to inspect creeks and waterways on a regular basis.
    The mayor berated residents for throwing their waste into creeks and waterways.
    The mayor likewise ordered the Special Services Division under the City Mayor’s Office to involve barangays in implementation of the clean, green and orderly Baguio campaign.
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 CEPMO head Rhenan Diwas said they have been regularly conducting clean-up activities on creek easements with the City Engineering Office, Baguio City Police Office, Bureau of Fire Protection and the concerned barangay officials including civic organizations.
    However, he said residents near waterways and creek easements lack discipline and care for the environment.
    Some have been found encroaching creek easements in violation of environmental laws.
The city government was able to map about over 800 informal settlers living along fault lines, river and creek easements in Baguio City.
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Related to this matter, by the time this issue comes out Sunday, we will see if the management Lemon and Olives Greek Taverna Restaurant located at 26, Outlook Drive already removed their sewerage pipeline at Barangay Outlook Drive which residents at Barangay Lucnab below said polluted their water source and made the environment and air odorous beside an international school.    
    As of Friday evening, the pipeline, which ended at a forest creek beside the Disciples for Christ Independent School Inc. was still not removed and staff, students and teachers are complaining of the foul smell which is reaching high heavens.