TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug. 2 (PNA) — As partner in the joint venture, the provincial government finds it proper to be extended due discount from both the Bohol Light Company, Inc. and the Bohol Water Utilities, Inc. in its electric and water bills.
“Being a part owner, the province should enjoy incentives such as discount of water and light billing and condonation of penalties if there are any, according to Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Tomas Abapo Jr, chair of the SP Committee on Good Governance, Justice and Human Rights.
Abapo said the representatives of the province to the board of directors of BLCI and BWUI can bring up the matter to the management of the two utilities.
“The directors representing the province are authorized to negotiate for these requests,” Abapo added.
Upon Abapo’s move, the SP approved a resolution asking the management of BLCI and BWUI to give the provincial government discount on its electric and water bills, and exemption from penalty in case of any delinquency.
The SP approved Abapo’s resolution en masse during last Friday’s regular session.
This is considering that the province has 30-percent share in both companies.
Earlier, the board of directors of BLCI representing the provincial government reported to the SP Committee of the Whole that the provincial government got P38.625 million as dividends of the 30-percent share from the joint venture with Salcon Power Corp. in the operation of BLCI.
The SP still has to schedule another meeting to get the report from representatives of the province to the board of directors of BWUI as Lawyer Antonio Amora failed to appear during the previous meeting of the SP Committee of the Whole.
Abapo emphasized during the previous SP Committee of the Whole meeting that the joint venture agreement served well in improving the services of the power and water utilities that addressed the concerns on poor water supply distribution and power interruptions during the time the two utilities were under the management of the provincial government.
Lawyer David Tirol, BLCI board of director, also expressed during the meeting that the administration of then governor Rene Relampagos made the right decision in coming up with a win-win solution that solved the problems without totally giving up the hand on the two utilities.
The income that the provincial government earned from the joint venture has been an additional source of funds to pay for the electric bills placed at an average of P15 million.
It can be noted that the provincial government paid P12 million for electricity in 2012, P14 million in 2013, and P17 million in 2014.
The province earned P3 million in 2012, P11 million in 2013, and P4.5 million in 2014 as share in the income of Salcon Power Corporation that had been a considerable amount as additional income.(PNA)