La Union power firm up for sale

By Jun Elias

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The provincial government of La Union is selling the Bauang Private Power Corp. (BPPC) in Barangay Payocpoc for P57 billion.

“Gov. (Francisco Emmanuel) Ortega, provincial board members and other provincial officials agreed to sell the power firm because we lack the capacity to operate the facility,” board member Reynaldo Mosuela told local media Wednesday.

BPPC was declared a property of the provincial government on Feb. 1, 2008 after the power company failed to pay taxes and penalties for its equipment and buildings amounting to P1.866 billion. It is now being rented by 1590 Energy Corp.

The company did not settle its arrears despite a Supreme Court ruling denying its petition challenging the assessment of the Central Board of Assessment Appeals for lack of merit.

The provincial government auctioned the company, but nobody participated in the bidding.

It also rejected BPPC’s request to pay only 10 percent of the tax assessment.   

BPPC said it did not pay the taxes, claiming it was the responsibility of the National Power Corp.