State-run National Electrification Administration (NEA) has begun the process to transfer the authority to supervise electric cooperatives (ECs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to the Bangsamoro Government.
Republic Act No. 11054, otherwise known as the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), was approved on July 27, 2018. With the passage of the BOL, the supervision of the Electric Cooperatives under its jurisdiction shall now pertain to the Bangsamoro Government.
There are seven ECs in BARMM, namely LASURECO, Basilan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BASELCO), Cagayan de Sulu Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASELCO), Maguindanao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MAGELCO), Siasi Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SIASELCO), Sulu Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SULECO), and Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TAWELCO).
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong assigned Deputy Administrator for Electric Cooperative Management Services (ECMS) Atty. Vicar Loureen Lofranco to supervise the Special Concerns Office (SCO) tasked to focus on the transition process.
“With the SCO, we hope to help facilitate the smooth operation and transition of the BARMM ECs pursuant to Article VI, XIII and other relevant provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” Masongsong said.
The NEA from a national line agency under RA 6038 was created as a government-owned and controlled corporation under Presidential Decree No. 269. The BOL expressly allows the Bangsamoro Government to create its own departments, agencies, government instrumentality, and GOCCs similar to what the National Government currently has.
Under Section 30, Article XII of the BOL, the Bangsamoro Government may opt for the creation of its counterpart of the electrification administration similar to NEA.
Among the other tasks of the SCO is to render technical assistance to the Bangsamoro government in setting up the Electrification Agency similar to the NEA structure to ensure that the transition is effected to the best interest of the BARMM ECs and their member-consumer-owners (MCOs).
Meanwhile, the NEA SCO shall collaborate with the Bangsamoro Government and/or its Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) and other agencies/instrumentalities for electrification and development programs and operational concerns in relation to the management and supervision of the ECs under the BARMM.
“Relative to this, Deputy Administrator Lofranco is temporarily relieved of her duties as the Deputy Administrator of the EC Management Services during the transitory period,” the NEA administrator said in an Office Order dated June 23, 2021.
Masongsong also created a technical team to assist Deputy Administrator Lofranco. He also designated Director Nollie Alamillo, the current NEA Institutional Development Department Manager, as the officer-in-charge of the Office of the Deputy Administrator for ECMS.
Deputy Administrator Lofranco, together with Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO) General Manager Nordjiana Lucman Dipatuan-Ducol, paid a courtesy visit to BARMM Senior Minister and MENRE Minister Abdulraof Macacua last May 21.
Masongsong also created a technical team to assist Deputy Administrator Lofranco. He also designated Director Nollie Alamillo, the current NEA Institutional Development Department Manager, as the officer-in-charge of the Office of the Deputy Administrator for ECMS.
During the visit, Lofranco said they discussed, among others, the concerns of LASURECO and other ECs operating in Bangsamoro areas. Lofranco also serves as the project supervisor of LASURECO.
There are seven ECs in BARMM, namely LASURECO, Basilan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BASELCO), Cagayan de Sulu Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CASELCO), Maguindanao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MAGELCO), Siasi Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SIASELCO), Sulu Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SULECO), and Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative, Inc. (TAWELCO).
