- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The collection efficiency of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative is now at 93 percent, compared to the 89 percent logged at the height of the coronavirus disease pandemic in 2020.
Atty. Chuchie Destriza, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Ceneco General Manager, said the power coop stopped disconnection activities for overdue accounts for about seven months, also because of the COVID-19 impact, and this led to about P600 million in accumulated unpaid bills last year.
She said Ceneco took out a loan of P300 million to cover the shortfall to ensure the continuous delivery of electricity to consumers, and avail of the prompt payment discount from suppliers.
Ceneco serves more than 213,000 consumers in the highly-urbanized Bacolod City and neighboring Talisay, Silay, Bago, Don Salvador Benedicto, and Murcia in Negros Occidental.
The Ceneco management has been urging consumers to settle accounts and pay their monthly bills promptly to avoid the disconnection of electricity service.
To avoid long queues, payment may be done on or before the due date through GCash, and other payment methods like online banking with partner banks RCBC, BDO, and UnionBank, or Alvio and ECPay collection partners.
For disconnected accounts, the reconnection fees are only accepted at Ceneco offices, the coop said, adding that collecting agents are not authorized to process reconnection.
It added that average residential rate for this billing month will further decrease.
For the December 2022 billing, the rate was P16.2006 per kilowatt-hour, or a drop of P0.0966/kWh from the P16.2972/kWh rate in November.
Meanwhile, Destriza said the Ceneco management has yet to apprise Atty. Vic Alvaro, acting Ceneco GM, on the electricity pilferage case involving officials of Barangay Singcang-Airport in Bacolod, and whatever negotiation or agreement arrived at before has yet to be approved by the new manager./CGC
