ILOILO CITY — The franchise of the Panay Electric Company (PECO) to continue to provide power in this city may not be renewed in the Senate next year.
This was stressed by Senator Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate committee on public services, who was here Friday for a public hearing on the effects of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law on public services and utilities.
Poe made the statement after receiving various complaints on the poor service of PECO, as well as its alleged irregularities on overbilling and other issues.
“If they (seek to) renew their franchise which will expire in 2019 and they will not improve their services particularly in replacing their old materials and posts, they might not be renewed,” she said in a media interview.
During the public hearing, one of the consumers who raised concern on the poor service of PECO was Councilor Joshua Alim.
But Poe said that she has been receiving calls from different people saying, “they are not happy of the service (of PECO)” apart from the complaints raised during the hearing.
Meantime, Randy Pastolero, Assistant Vice-President for Operations of PECO, recognized that they need to improve their service.
“And we are trying our best to fast track and complete all of this not because we are renewing our franchise but because we really recognize the need to do this,” he said in an interview.
Pastolero said that the provision of power services is an ongoing process. “You improve as you go along,” he stressed.
Pastolero hoped that their request to renew their franchise will be approved in the Senate next year.
“To say that we are really confident, that is very presumptive on our part. The decision does not actually come from us but definitely the important thing is the provision of power service in this city,” he said,
“We admit that we have fell short but we are doing solutions so, we believe that they (Senate) do not have the merit to deny the granting of franchise,” he added. (PNA)
