NORECO 2 told: hold polls now

Warning that officials of the Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative 2 and Cooperative Development Authority Administrator for Luzon Atty. Fulgencio Vigare Jr. might be legally liable for postponing the scheduled elections of the Board of Directors, a solon and the CDA Visayas Administrator urged the electric cooperative to conduct the elections of the Board of Directors now.

COOPNATCO Rep. Cresente Paez scored the NORECO 2 management for postponing to year 2011 the scheduled BOD elections last month which deprived member consumers of their right to elect a new set of BOD.

NORECO 2 is supposed to hold elections on February 6, 14, and 27 for Districts 2 (San Jose and Sibulan), 8 (Sta. Catalina) and 6 (Valencia, Bacong, Dauin), respectively, but were postponed by the BOD after securing two advisories dated January 4 and 20, 2010 issued by Vigare pointing out the electric cooperatives have been tapped by the Commission on Elections to provide uninterrupted power supply before and during the May 10 presidential elections.

However, Paez and Congressman George Arnaiz assailed the advisory for being irregular and illegal for it violated RA 9520 or the Philippine Cooperative Act of 2008 providing for a 2-year limit in the terms of the Board of Directors.

NORECO 2 Board of Directors Chair Lennie Joy Alviola, who needed a fresh mandate eight days ago as her term is also ending, said that an official statement will be issued by the management addressing the issue in due time. Paez asked how can the pre-planned election of BOD last February in any way jeopardize their role in providing a steady supply of electricity during the May 10 elections. The solons are supposed to call for a congressional investigation yesterday March 6 to determine if, first, the CDA advisory a correct and sound interpretation or application of Comelec Resolutions 7814 and 8716 and second, assuming that they are, can a mere Comelec resolution and CDA advisory supersede the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008.

However, the investigation has been scrapped after the Committee on Cooperatives refused to sanction the exercise.

Meanwhile, Vigare’s own colleague in the CDA, Visayas Administrator Segfredo Buagas questioned his authority to issue an advisory, which was unanimously adopted by the incumbent NORECO 2 Directors, without the knowledge of his fellow administrators.

“CDA policy decisions are supposed to be collective, we are a collegial body, Vigare is not supposed to issue an advisory on his own while keeping us fellow administrators in the dark,” said Buagas.

To cure the anomaly, Buagas is set to issue a reminder to NORECO 2 of its obligation under the law to hold elections for the BOD and to remain committed to the true spirit of cooperativisim which is empowering the people and not concentrating power in the hands of the few. And if NORECO 2 ignores his reminder, the members can use it to file the necessary legal actions against their officials.

He also does not discount the possibility of the CDA recalling Vigare’s advisories. “The issue is difficult for us because it involves a colleague, but we have to do something in order to persevere the integrity of the office,” he stressed.

The Cooperative Development Authority was created in 1990 primarily to promote the viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments for equity, social justice and economic development.

The CDA is governed by a Board of Administrators consisting of a Chairman and six (6) members appointed by the President and are chosen from among the nominees of the cooperative sector with two (2) representatives each from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Current members of the Board are: Lecira Juarez (Chair), Manuel Lapeña (Luzon), Salaman Mangca (Mindanao), Buagas (Visayas) Rosalinda Villaseca (Mindanao) and Vigare (Luzon). (By Dems Rey Demecillo)