Baguio council public hearing on Beneco fiasco reset July 17

BAGUIO CITY – The City Council here headed by Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan reset a public hearing to be held Monday (July 17)  2 p.m. at City Hall after previous directors of the Benguet Electric Cooperative  slammed power rates increased by Beneco management effective this July.
    Invited to the hearing by the City Council were representatives from the Beneco interim board of directors, management and National Electrification Administration.
    The public hearing was earlier scheduled July 10 attended by all previous Beneco board of directors and vigilant member-consumer-owners.
    The City Council however decided to reset the public hearing to July 17 due to absence of representatives from NEA, Beneco interim board and management.
    The city council said they wanted papers related to Beneco issues presented during the hearing.
    One of the previous board members however said when he went to get the papers in Beneco for presentation to the council, these were not given to him. 
    This, after incumbent Beneco management headed by project supervisor Antonio Almeda of NEA and Interim Board decided to increase rates saying this was due to increased coal rates.
    Aside from power rates, the public hearing will also reportedly deliberate other matters like Beneco elections which MCOs have been clamoring for but is reportedly being waylaid by the NEA and interim board.

“The general assembly (Beneco) was surprised why the current Beneco management is now lawyering for Team Energy, where in fact at the time of rate negotiation, the then management and Board were firm in their decision,” said a letter forwarded to Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan.

Team Energy supplies power to Beneco and power rates collected from member-consumer-owners are determined by negotiations on rates with Team Energy.

The letter was signed by then Beneco Board President Esteban Somngi and previous Board directors Jeffred B. Acop, Mike Maspil, Josephone Tuling, Rev. Jonathan Obar, Robert Valentin and Peter Busaing.

The former board directors in their letter said the public needed to know how and why power rates went up.

Beneco’s power supply contract with Team Energy expires on March 12, 2024.

For almost 16 years, Beneco has not made any adjustment on its generation system charge until Almeda and the Interim Board took over management of Beneco.

This, as the La Trinidad Municipal Council or Sangguniang Bayan of Benguet headed by Vice Mayor Roderick Awingan unanimously signed a resolution June 30, 2023 urging the NEA and Task Force Beneco (Interim Board Directors) to “schedule immediately election of board of directors of Beneco.

A signature campaign is ongoing by Beneco member-consumer-owners (MCOs) callingon NEA and Interim Board to schedule elections.

They said the Beneco power rate increase would not have happened if Beneco had a regular set of Board directors elected by MCOs. 

The La Trinidad Municipal Council resolution No. 199-2023 the elections “will put to rest issues on the proper representation of the member-consumers with the highest governing body of the cooperative,”

A copy of the resolution was given to Mayor Romeo K. Salda for his information.

The resolution was signed by Vice Mayor Roderick C. Awingan, Municipal Councilors John G. Botiwey, Guilbert A. Galwan, Francis A. Lee, Bartolome L. Baldas Jr., Apolinario A. Bagano Jr., Jayson C. Dangwa, Teddy C. Walang, Henry M. Kipas, Charles T. Canuto and Secretary to the Sanggunian Edward M. Juanito.

“Beneco is owned by member-consumer-owners and governed by eleven board of directors pursuant to Section 1, article VI of the Beneco by-laws. These 11 members are chosen by MCOs through democratically called elections. MCOs are fully aware of problems besetting Beneco the past year. Through the proper media – social, print and broadcast, they are well informed of the issues on management, rate increase and how NEA handled these issues,” the resolution said.

“RB Resolution No. 03-2023 has not specified the tenure or term of Task Force Beneco. At the different annual general membership assemblies (AGMAs), they are simply referred to as the Interim Board. The intention of the by-laws of Beneco is that it will be governed by democratically elected BODs. As Interim Board, Task Force Beneco implies a specific and limited function.”

The Municipal Council said “electing the regular members of the Board of Directors would certainly resolve related issues and questions affecting the management and operation of Beneco.” -- AD