The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA) said electric cooperatives (ECs) have shown strength and resilience in the face of the ongoing public health crisis caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a statement, PHILRECA president and party-list Rep. Presley De Jesus said since the declaration of a state of public health emergency, “we have proven the strength and resilience of the 121 electric cooperatives and more than 13 million member-consumer-owners. We have withered the strongest effect of the pandemic, which is its effect on our moral fiber.”
De Jesus said the 121 ECs, in the past months, have taken solidarity initiatives to help ease the financial burden on poor Filipino households affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
ECs also continue implementing their own CSR to aid frontline workers
The lawmaker cited the “Pantawid Liwanag” program, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative of the rural electrification sector that has benefited over three million member-consumer-owners (MCOs), particularly those who belong to the marginalized sector.
He also mentioned the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Displaced/Disadvantaged Workers program of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) implemented in coordination with the EC party-list representatives.
De Jesus said the ECs also continue implementing their own CSR to aid frontline workers and local communities affected by the community quarantine.
“We have withered the strongest effect of the pandemic, which is its effect on our moral fiber.”
Meanwhile, PHILRECA Executive Director and General Manager Janeene Depay-Colingan assured that the 121 ECs are constantly striving to improve their services to all power consumers in the countryside amid the fight against the coronavirus.
“The recent months have put us in challenging times as we continue our battle against this pandemic. While most of us consider this as one of the most difficult challenges in the history of the rural electrification movement, the 121 electric cooperatives are constantly working hard to continue providing and improving our services to our member-consumer-owners,” Depay-Colingan said.