IRIGA CITY (Dec 6, 2013) – After eight day of darkness, power supply was restored today in this lone city in the 5th district (Rinconada district) of Camarines Sur province ahead of other towns after the Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative III (CASURECO III) management made partial payment of its indebtedness to its power provider.
This was revealed in a press briefing by CASURECO III manager Claro Turiano. The debt-stricken electric cooperative managed to make partial payment after securing a Php 50-Million loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA).
Iriga City is the first area to have its power supply restored. The six towns of Rinconada, Bato, Nabua, Baao, Buhi, Bula, and Balatan are next in line.
CASURECO III needed to pay its current (December) power bill to energy provider, San Miguel Energy Corp. (SMEC), in the amount of Php87 Million before power supply is restored. The coop’s total arrears with SMEC has now reached Php 713-Million and its collectibles from about 800,000 households amount to only Php 116 Million.
Leaders of local consumers have questioned CASURECO III management’s decision to restore power to Iriga City ahead of other towns when the City’s local government and business establishments have the biggest unpaid accounts in the tune of Php 52 Million.
Iriga City Mayor Ronald Felix Alfelor and former Mayor Madelaine Alfelor Gazmen told a local broadcast this week that they have sold a prime property to pay the debts that their family businesses incurred with the electric cooperative.
In October 1 this year, after SMEC initially cut power supply in the Rinconada district, it was revealed in a conference called by 5th district Congressman Salvio Fortuno with the seven mayors of the district that several local governments and barangays in the district have unpaid accounts for electric consumption in lighting the streets and town halls amounting to several millions.
Fortuno had earlier appealed to the mayors to help in the collection effort of CASURECO III to come up with partial payment acceptable to the power provider.
On Thurs. (Dec. 5), Fortuno with the help of Camarines Sur Gov. Miguel Luis Villafuerte and his father former Gov. Luis Raymund “L-Ray” Villafuerte, Department of Energy (DOE) Sec. Jericho Petilla and NEA officials facilitated the current payment of CASURECO III to SMEC that resulted in the partial restoration of power to Iriga City on Friday noon.
It was also reported that Fortuno had sought another conference with DOE and NEA on Wed. (Dec.11) to map out a long-term solution to the ballooning indebtedness of CASURECO III.
The Camarines Sur Chamber of Commerce (CSCCI) that has prominent businessmen members in Iriga City is pushing for the privatization of CASURECO III. (SONNY SALES)