BAGUIO CITY AND BENGUET LGUS BACKS BENECO FRANCHISE ANEW
By Laarni S. Ilagan
Photo Credits: Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO)
The local government units of Baguio City and Benguet have joined the call for the Senate to already approve the franchise of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) for another 25 years.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Baguio City, Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Benguet and Benguet’s 13 municipalities (Atok, La Trinidad, Sablan, Tuba, Itogon, Kapangan, Kibungan, Mankayan, Buguias, Tublay, Itogon, Bokod, and Bakun) have passed their separate resolutions asking the Upper House to approve House Bill No. 10483, the bill’s version that was approved by the House of Representatives last September.
Ditto with the Liga ng mga Barangay of Baguio City and Tuba.
Going grass roots, the barangays of Happy Homes and Old Lucban and Magsaysay Private Road of Baguio City have also passed their barangay resolutions. More barangays have signified their support.
Non-government entities like the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) and the Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas (KBP)-Baguio-Benguet Chapter also gave their endorsement.
Following the passage of HB 10483 (An Act Granting Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) a Franchise to Construct, Install, Establish, Operate, Own, Manage, and Maintain, a Distribution System for the Conveyance of Electric Power to the End-Users in all the municipalities of the Province of Benguet and Baguio City) at the lower house of Congress, the bill was transmitted to the Senate.
The committee on public services, chaired by Sen. Raffy Tulfo, already endorsed the bill to the technical working group of the committee after a successful public hearing on the bill last Oct. 23, 2024.
BENECO is hopeful the said committee will approve the bill for the immediate consideration of the Senate as a whole.
The local resolutions said that “BENECO has long provided efficient and reliable electricity distribution services to the municipalities of Benguet and Baguio City, contributing significantly to their economic and social development.” # LSI
