• CHERYL G. CRUZ
A Bacolod councilor is pushing for a special electrical permit for indigent families residing in informal settlements, or urban poor communities, so that they gain “legal and safe access to electricity, thereby reducing the hazards of illegal electrical connections.”
Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, in his proposed ordinance approved on first reading by the Sangguniang Panlungsod Feb. 5, said that while access to electricity is a fundamental need of every household, “many urban poor families in Bacolod are hindered from securing regular electrical permits due to financial constraints…there is need to provide mechanisms to assist these families.”
The proposal covers the houses of urban poor families or residents, made of light materials exclusively used for residential purposes. “The issuance of the special electrical permit shall be in lieu of the certificate of final electrical inspection, as required by the Negros Electric and Power Corp.”
Under the proposed ordinance, an applicant must submit to the Office of the Building Official (OBO) a barangay certification of residency and indigency, voter’s certification from the Commission on Elections, community tax certificate, two sets of house plan, and two copies of vicinity map indicating the location of the house, as certified by the punong barangay.
The authorized OBO representative shall issue the corresponding special electrical permit that is non-transferable.
A minimal processing fee of P50 shall be charged for the issuance of the SEP, subject to inspection of the premises to ensure compliance with electrical safety standards, the proposed ordinance states, adding the Negros Power shall be encouraged to coordinate with the city government to facilitate the safe and legal electricity connections. | CGC
