Wednesday, June 9, 2010

CASURECO 2 MUST SERVE AND PROTECT THE CONSUMERS!

CASURECO 2 MUST SERVE AND PROTECT THE CONSUMERS!

The CASURECO 2, with all the other electric cooperatives nationwide, was created to render electrification services to the consumers. As such, all other concerns whether internal or external to the cooperative, are subordinated to this primary goal: acceptable, efficient, and effective service delivery of electric power to the consumers! The cooperative’s board, management, and personnel must NEVER be beholden to anyone but the consumers!

Unfortunately, CASURECO 2 has been persistently plagued by issues and controversies ranging from the interference of politicians, misdemeanors of officials, misconduct among the employees, to instances of unhealthy labor-management relations and poor customer service.

At present, the cooperative is again in the limelight of controversy due to the significant hike in the rates charged to the consumers without even the semblance of consultation or information-sharing. As expected, the consumers are outraged by this single sweeping act. And when other allegations of mismanagement and irregularities started to surface, the people have to rage and rise against the perpetrators of these unfortunate predicament of the cooperative!

The BICOL AUTONOMY MOVEMENT strongly supports the clamor for significant changes in CASURECO 2. We join with enthusiasm the struggle of the people of Camarines Sur and Naga City for a more affordable rate and a lot more efficient e electric power service delivery.

We call on the concerned government agencies, specially the National Electrification Administration(NEA) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), to act decisively on matters brought to their attention by the aggrieved consumers.
We call on the concerned CASURECO 2 employees to exercise judgment and act according to their conscience – and fight for the consumers which they are supposed to serve!

Finally, in the long term, we call for the dissolution of these electric cooperatives and the setting up of a BICOL POWER CORPORATION that will consolidate and harness the power potentials of our region and dedicate itself to the affordable and efficient delivery of electrical power to the Bicolano households and industries!

We hope for a better CASURECO 2. But most importantly, we will work and struggle for a better and more progressive Bicol Region! Thus, if these electric cooperatives cannot do their share, then let us do away with them and come up with our own unique, distinct Bicolano mechanism for power generation and distribution!

Mabuhay ang Bicolandia!


RENNE F. GUMBA
Executive Director, Institute of Politics, Ateneo de Naga University
Convenor for Camarines Sur, Bicol Autonomy Movement

DANTE JIMENEZ
President, Mariners Polytechnic Colleges Foundation
Regonal Convenor, Bicol Autonomy Movement