SEN. Grace Poe said acquiring a franchise, specifically when it is focus on services, comes with responsibility and accountability.

According to Poe, it is important for franchise holder to know the exact demands of their customers as well as how they can extend more in order to give satisfaction and protection for their customers, otherwise, they must also face a possible revocation should they fail to deliver from what is expected from them.

“Noon kasi pag may prangkisa ka na, relax na kahit anong mangyari, magkagulo-gulo na sila diyan basta yung franchise namin 25 years.

But this Congress, and the past Congress in (Committee) Public Services, we realized that we need to demand more from the franchise providers.

Ito nga ay isang pribilehiyo so kung hindi mo ginagampanan, hindi mo pala kaya, dapat palitan o kaya ayusin ninyo, dapat may reforms,” the senator said.

She also insisted the need for the franchise holder to make sure that they meet a good standard of service and maintain the so-called customer satisfaction.

“Kaya nung tayo ay namuno ng (Committee) Public Services, nakita natin dahil nga sa reklamo ng marami nating kababayan eh dapat naman masuklian ng tamang serbisyo ang mga prangkisa na binigay sa inyo.

Mahirap kasi ang daming pulitika minsan hindi natatapos yung trabaho,” she added.

The reaction of Poe came amidst the clamor of various homeowners-consumers, composed of community associations of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, represented by their Chairpersons, who officially stated support for the granting of a Congressional franchise to Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC).

The representatives from Central Negros sponsored the house bill for the privatization of the electric power distribution in this part of the region to improve the services, and it is now pending in the Committee on Public Services in the Senate.

In a joint statement, they voiced their disappointment in the service of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) that affects their daily living.

“CENECO, as an Electric Cooperative distribution utility, miserably failed to provide us with adequate power supply, resulting in massive blackouts, power outages and brownouts.

We were deprived of our need for a reliable power supply and efficient services for several decades despite paying our monthly bills religiously,” according to Jesben Duday, Chairperson of Parents of Purok Riverside Incorporated.

Julie Alob, chairperson of Banago Yuhom Takers Association, also expressed dismay at the high systems loss of the Electric Coop.

“The services of CENECO are inadequate contrary to our expectations. We have to bear the financial burden of the systems loss incurred by CENECO, but being passed on to our electricity rate charges.”

“Electricity is a basic necessity that affects the lives of all our family members and homeowners.

We need electricity to prepare meals and to get news and information from the radio and television.

Without power or energy, there is no water supply for drinking, personal hygiene and daily chores at home.

The safety and security of our homes and family members are in danger without light in the night’s darkness, ” Nona Dela Cruz, the Chairperson of Tinagong Paraiso Empowered Women’s Organization, said.

Mahimulaton Home Owners Association Chairperson Jun Mart Tan also expressed their frustrations over the Electric Cooperative’s poor customer service: “Instead of comfort and convenience, we have been suffering from inconvenience and frustrations that we do not deserve as consumers due to poor consumer care.”

The member-consumer-owners overwhelmingly approved the Joint Venture of CENECO and NEPC in the plebiscite last year.

Primelectric Holdings Incorporated, the mother company of NEPC, will purchase all the electric distribution assets of CENECO through 70 percent cash and 30 percent share once NEPC gets the congressional franchise to operate in Bacolod, Bago, Silay and Talisay and municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto.