Power coop urges Kidapawan City to settle power bill

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines — The sole power distributor in the entire province of North Cotabato has again warned the city government here to immediately settle its accumulated account to prevent the company from cutting off power supply next week.

Vicente Baguio,  spokesperson of the Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco), said their office has sent a demand letter to the city government to settle its debt amounting close to P6 million, covering power bills for the street lights and offices in the city hall.

Baguio said Cotelco would cut power supply to these areas should the city government fail to pay them after the billing period next week.

Baguio said their office has been religiously paying royalty tax to the city government, and that the city in return should pay its bills “in the name of public service.

The Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Council) last week approved the release of P3.4 million as payment for the city electric bills.

Councilor Lauro Taynan Jr., chair of the council’s committee on energy, appealed to Cotelco to consider the amount as partial payment and urged the cooperative not to cut power supply at city hall so as not to hamper services in all offices.

Baguio said they would consider the partial payment but the city government should sign a promissory note to pay the remaining balance before the issuance of the next electricity bill.

RELATED STORIES

Stop blame game on Mindanao blackout, Palace tells DOE, NPC 

Mindanao suffers massive blackout 

Mindanao black-out traced to Lanao del Norte power plant trip