Nasecore reiterates call not to pursue House inquiry on NEA

THE NATIONAL  Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms, Inc. (Nasecore) has reiterated its call to House of Representatives Committee on Energy chairman Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo not to pursue the inquiry on the National Electrification Administration (NEA). 

This pertains to House Resolution No. 1776 that urged the lower house to conduct an inquiry on the alleged overreach of NEA on the screening, election and appointment of general managers of electric cooperatives, particularly the Benguet Electric Cooperative, Inc.

“(W)e reiterate our call for the Honorable Chairman not to pursue this ill-advised inquiry which is rife with conflict of interest and which in reality, is not in aid of legislation but the pursuit of the proponents’ personal agenda with the NEA,” the electricity advocacy group said in its letter to Arroyo.

It also cited legal texts supporting NEA’s supervision and control over electric cooperatives such as Presidential Decree No. 1645 and NEA memorandum 2017-035, that cited NEA has “power of supervision and control over electric cooperatives”.

On the other hand, the NEA memorandum also stated that “(f)rom the list of names forwarded by NEA, the EC BOD shall select the GM of their choice. In the event that the Board rejects all pre-qualified applicants, a Board Resolution shall be submitted to NEA containing valid reason(s) for such rejection which shall then be evaluated, and if found reasonable, the entire selection process may again be undertaken at the expense of the EC. However, if the reasons given are unreasonable the NEA shall appoint from among the pre-qualified applicants. The EC board shall then be informed of such appointment”.

“From the above-cited provision, it is clear that NEA has the power to appoint a GM. Thus, there was no overreach and, they acted in the regular exercise of its duties and function, in the normal course of business,” Nasecore wrote.

Arroyo has invited Nasecore for a virtual meeting Wednesday to tackle its opposition to HR No. 1776. ( Kris Crismundo)