THE National Electrification Administration (NEA) has commenced the transfer of its authority to supervise electric cooperatives (ECs) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to the Bangsamoro government.
The passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in July 2018 paved the way for this transition. NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong assigned NEA Deputy Administrator for Electric Cooperative Management Services (ECMS) Atty. Vicar Loureen Lofranco to supervise the Special Concerns Office (SCO) tasked to handle the transition.
“With the SCO, we hope to help facilitate the smooth operation and transition of the BARMM ECs pursuant to Article VI, XIII and other relevant provisions of the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” Masongsong said.
The BOL allows the Bangsamoro government to create its own departments, agencies, government instrumentality, and GOCCs similar to what the national government currently has.
Under Section 30, Article XII of the BOL, the Bangsamoro government may opt for the creation of its counterpart of the electrification administration similar to NEA.
The SCO will extend technical assistance to the Bangsamoro government in setting up its electrification agency.
It will also collaborate with the Bangsamoro government and/or its Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE) and other agencies for electrification and development programs and operational concerns in relation to the management and supervision of the ECs under the BARMM.
Lofranco and Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO) General Manager Nordjiana Lucman Dipatuan-Ducol paid a courtesy visit to BARMM Senior Minister and MENRE Minister Abdulraof Macacua last May 21.
During the visit, Lofranco said they discussed, among others, the concerns of LASURECO and other ECs operating in Bangsamoro areas. Lofranco also serves as the project supervisor of LASURECO.
There are seven ECs in BARMM, namely, LASURECO, Basilan Electric Cooperative Inc., Cagayan de Sulu Electric Cooperative Inc., Maguindanao Electric Cooperative Inc., Siasi Electric Cooperative Inc., Sulu Electric Cooperative Inc., and Tawi-Tawi Electric Cooperative Inc.