• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Senate approved on its third and final reading on Monday, May 20, the franchise being sought by the Negros Electric Power Corp. (NEPC) to maintain an electric power distribution in key localities in Negros Occidental.
During its plenary session, which was presided by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, the NEPC franchise under House Bill No. 9805 got affirmative votes from 22 senators.
After its approval, Zubiri stepped down as Senate President. He was immediately replaced by Senator Francis Escudero.
HB 9805 allows NEPC to establish, operate, and maintain a distribution system for supplying electric power to end-users in the cities of Bacolod, Silay, Talisay and Bago, and the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto through a joint venture agreement with Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco).
Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of Senate committee on public services, thanked her colleagues for supporting the bill, as she underscored that the legislative measure aims to enhance consumer services, by providing them with continued access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy.
“It is my hope that the granting of franchise would pave the way for better and more expansive power service in the country,” Poe said.
“HB 9805 is a result of the public’s clamor for better service in central Negros Occidental, which Ceneco currently serves. NEPC also expressed its readiness and willingness to invest capital in modernizing the distribution system and addressing operational challenge,” Poe stated in the previous deliberations.
She added: “As legislators, we must remain open to the changing times. Our duty is to be responsive to the needs of our constituents, both now and in the future”.
The representatives of both houses of Congress are expected to meet through a bicameral conference to fine-tune the law’s final version before sending it to the Office of President. | GB
