All 121 electric cooperatives operating nationwide have given their support to the Pantawid Liwanag program.
According to Rodrigo Sacedor, Chairperson of the National Center of Electric Cooperatives Consumers, Inc. (NCECCO), over 3 million consumers will benefit from the program.
“With the solidarity and resilience of those who believe in the rural electrification movement, the Pantawid Liwanag has been supported unanimously by all electric cooperatives,” Sacedor said.
Pantawid Liwanag is a corporate responsibility program initiated by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA).
It targets poor electricity consumers affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
Customers who consumed not more than 50 kilowatt-hours will be given free electricity for the month of March to April.
“Electric cooperatives have given their support notwithstanding the fact that they are likewise facing difficulties in their own backyards.”
He stressed electric cooperatives have given their support notwithstanding the fact that they are likewise facing difficulties in their own backyards.
“Among these concerns are low power demand due to economic slowdown, deficient collection efficiencies due to quarantines and community lockdowns, high generation costs due to fixed charges and many more which generally affects the financial and overall operations of the ECs,” Sacedor enumerated.
In behalf of the three million electricity consumers, he expressed gratitude to the Pantawid Liwanag Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program.
“What lifts us up in the One EC-MCO Movement to take and carry this emergency and huge share of responsibility is the fact that it is likewise an opportunity for the Electric Cooperatives to give back to our valued MCOs,” Sacedor stressed.
“It delights us to see their uplifted spirits and hopeful positive mindsets.”
“It delights us to see their uplifted spirits and hopeful positive mindsets amidst what we have gone through in this desperate time of global pandemic,” he adds.
Sacedor also thanked the leaderships of the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives (NAGMEC) and Philippine Association of Board of Directors of Rural Electric Cooperatives (PHABDREC) for their support and cooperation.
“As always, our efforts joint together made our roles indispensable and essential to successfully combat various challenges in the past and most especially this distinctive yet complex battle against our imperceptible enemy COVID-19,” he concluded.