• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The House committee on legislative franchises has approved the bill that seeks to grant Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) a franchise to operate in the area of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) in Negros Occidental.
Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano yesterday said that the committee unanimously approved the granting of franchise to NEPC, with minor amendments, on Dec. 13.
House Bill 9310 is co-authored by Paduano with Reps. Jose Francisco Benitez (Third District), Juliet Marie Ferrer (Fourth District) and Greg Gasataya (Lone District of Bacolod).
It will enable the NEPC to establish and maintain an electric power distribution system in the cities of Bacolod, Talisay Silay and Bago as well as in the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, and ensure a continuous and uninterrupted supply of electricity in the franchise area.
When Congress resumes its regular session in January, Paduano said the bill is expected to be discussed in the plenary for second reading.
If there are no questions, interpellation or amendments, it will be up for third and final reading approval by the House of Representatives, he added.
Under the new company, 30 percent of the ownership will be retained by Ceneco while Primelectric/NEPC will purchase 70 percent of its assets.
NEPC is an affiliate company of MORE Power, which serves Iloilo City.
MORE Power president Roel Castro earlier said they are confident of improved service quality for the Ceneco franchise area given the track record of MORE Power in Iloilo City.
“We aim to do the same in Negros,” Castro said.
After the approval of NEPC franchise by the House of Representatives, it will be forwarded to the Senate for a counterpart bill.
Paduano said he will discuss it with Senator Grace Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public services.
He is hoping that it will be approved by the Senate by February, and most likely to be signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by April, he added. | GB
