Author Topic: Franchise of Bohol Light Company not legitimate? City Mayor Lim says  (Read 716 times)

pioneer

  • To God be the glory alone
  • FOUNDER
  • GURU
  • *****
  • Posts: 18911
  • stay at home
    • View Profile
    • spiritual preparation
By Kit Bagaipo
The Bohol Chronicle


The franchise of Bohol Light Company Incorporated is “highly questionable and illegal.”

This was the claim made by City Mayor Dan Lim yesterday who renewed his call for Gov. Erico Aumentado to pursue the reacquisition of the Salcon controlled power and water utilities.

Lim’s statement followed after the mayor was accused by former OIC Gov. Victor dela Serna to have been “silenced” together with the governor regarding the provincial government’s bid to buy-back the 70% equity of Salcon in Bohol Light and Bohol Water.

Lim retorted yesterday during his weekly “Mayor’s Report” saying that expropriation, as proposed by Dela Serna is a risky option that could drive away investors here.

The mayor said that Bohol Light’s franchise can be nullified in court. In fact, Salcon wants to totally eliminate the provincial government’s legal personality in the company by applying a franchise for Bohol Light in Congress.

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) did not have authority to issue franchise upon adoption of the EPIRA law, Lim said, as NEA approved Bohol Light’s franchise two years after the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

Under the EPIRA law only Congress could issue a franchise to power distribution companies.
“If their franchise is valid and legal, then why is the company applying for a franchise in Congress?” Lim asked.

“[It’s] highly questionable that the NEA still accommodated the Bohol Light application despite the adoption of EPIRA,” the mayor added.

Lim challenged the governor and the provincial board to exploit this argument to invalidate the power utility’s franchise.

Even Dela Serna, according to Lim, as member of the Bohol Light board should question this through a court petition.

Power Hike

Bohol Light will allegedly earn more than P70-million every year due to the 25-centavo power rate increase granted by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Lim said.

This will mean an average of an additional expense of P3,000 monthly to an average consumer, according to the mayor.

It may be recalled that there is a pending petition filed by the mayor against the water rate increase of Bohol Water at the RTC.

Bohol Water was supposed to implement a 40% water rate hike but was issued an injunction resulting from Lim’s petition.

The mayor said he has no personality to initiate an offer to Salcon in reacquiring the power and water utilities.

Lim said he could only question the transfer of reservoirs owned by the city to Bohol Water during the time of former mayor Jose Torralba.


Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=4642.0
Romans 10:9
"That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved."
👇👇👇
Na-try mo na ba yung Tala app? Reliable sa unexpected expenses at laking tulong sa future! Use this code 9SO1TSL or visit www.tala.com to sign up!

unionbank online loan application low interest, credit card, easy and fast approval

Tags: