Probe on Lanao power woes underway By MOH I. SAADUDDIN MARAWI CITY: The Committee on Energy (COE) conducted public hearing here on Friday tackling the alleged mismanagement of the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO) that incurred more than 8-billion debt in the current administration. COE Chairman Rep. Reynaldo Umali, who presided the hearing alongside his co-legislators, said the committee “assured” to check all issues arose in the public hearing here on Friday pursuant to House Resolution No. 562 filed earlier by Lanao del Sur First District Rep. Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong. During the hearing, General Manager Ashary Maongco downplayed the allegations of mismanagement and blamed consumers saying “they are not paying well to the LASURECO and even they have breached the memorandum of agreement [MOA]” signed between them. Consumers including mayors of 32 municipalities of the province who have an agreement with the LASURECO said they cannot pay their dues because of “unfair” transformer metering being implemented and offering few hours and a very weak supply of power which is not enough accommodate other appliances aside from four lamps. Out of the demand supply of 35 megawatt in the province, the cooperative has 16 megawatt supply covering 3 towns of Lanao del Norte, 37 municipalities of Lanao del Sur and the city of Marawi. 12 megawatt is being given to Marawi City alone, claimed by President of Lanao del Sur Mayor’s League Lampa Pandi. Local mayors urged the committee to replace the transformer metering known here as “Pakyaw System” to an individual metering. The transformer metering covers entire houses of a town, which is being paid by LGUs. Congressman Umali said “they will follow-up Maongco’s proposal to the Department of Energy (DOE)” to implement individual metering in Lanao del Sur, as Maongco said “DOE [Department of Energy] has not yet provided the fund of 300-million” that would implement the individual metering in the province. The situation here is very strange, Lanao del Sur, the source of six power plants, has no lights but its neighboring cities and provinces are enjoying the lights coming here, the congressman said. Umali said “the promise of EPIRA law, which is to provide reliable and stable power supply, is not fulfilled here… Let us be minded that we need to keep the reasons of all, as a public servant.” The staggering 8-billion debt In his speech, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong Jr. reiterated his allegation that “prior to Mr. Maongco assumption, the power indebtedness of LASURECO in 2007 was 3.4-billion pesos, in August 2013, after 5-year of his assumption the debt has already reach a staggering 8.3-billion.” Maongco said the debt when he assumed in 2007 was 3.4-billion pesos, it increased to 7.6-billion in 2012. He emphasized that through their rehabilitation plan, they have able to save more than 3-billion that could have lead the debt to more than 10-billion. “You cannot blame with that,” he said. He said from 8% collection efficiency from 57,444 consumers, his administration now able to collect 27% in the province wide and 61% in the Marawi City. As of 2013, the average collection is 14.8-million, he added. From the collections, “I should pay to PSALM, NGCP, employees and to the rehabilitation projects as tasked to me,” the general manager said. “We are being audited all the time by COA [Commission on Audit] from Manila,” he said. Adiong urged the committee to conduct a special audit with independent team that will not come from National Electrification Administration (NEA) to explain how the cooperative funds were utilized by the general manager so to come with different result that will reveal the truth to the congress and the public. Board of directors Maongco admitted the absence of election during his time, saying it is due to the “rehabilitation is not yet completed… and one of the requirements to conduct an election is to have no Utang [debt].” The current board of directors was appointed by NEA, through MOA, Maongco said. NEA, which left the LASURECO under Lao family administration on 2005, praised Maongco’s performance saying during his time, NEA is receiving good data from LASURECO that makes the cooperative included in the categorization for the first in history of LASURECO. Umali assured in the hearing that board of directors will have an urgent election that should not be done through MOA but under Article of Association and by-laws, hence, LASURECO is a cooperative. Threats and political motives The lake Lanao or Ranao has six power plants installed in its Agus River over decades that supply over 60 percent of Mindanao’s electricity, Agus 1 hydropower plant, which is situated in the soil of the capital city of Lanao del Sur province Marawi, is not directly connected to LASURECO but in Abaga “sub-station” located in Baloi town of Lanao del Norte through a grid. “Pinuputulan po ang mga consumers hindi dahil sa hindi sila nagbabayad, kundi political motives [consumers were disconnected not because they are not paying, but a political motives,” said Atty. Bayang Balt, a former employee of LASURECO. He claimed “most of the disgruntle consumers, joined with criminal forces to topple down towers or NGCP towers and this causes blackout in the entire Mindanao. This issue also affects the national security, especially in Mindanao.” Mayor Abdulmohaimen Dipatuan accused Maongco of alleged involvement in political intervention, saying “I swear to the Holy Qur’an [the highest swearing among Muslims], that before the previous election, the general manager offered me to give lights in my town, if I ask my brother-in-law to withdraw his mayoral candidacy in Tugaya for his daughter-in-law.” Maongco denied those allegations but he has said that the reason why the collection of the cooperative is weak is because he has to break through “political intervention” to collect payments from consumers. Chairman Umali said “you have heard us and we have heard you also, we tried to hear all sides… we tried to be as fair as possible to everyone… but I know that matter that the people here are polarized, people are passionate but thank you for cooperating and controlling your passions.”
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 10:25:12 +0000
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