Dahino: Moresco 1 deal unfavorable to city gov’t

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

The Committee on Finance has deferred the approval of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) entered into between the Misamis Oriental Rural Electric Service Cooperative 1 (Moresco 1) and the city government for its electrification project for relocation sites in Sitio Calaanan, Barangay Canitoan for being “disadvantageous” for the city.

Committee on Finance chairman Edna Dahino said she recommended the deferment of the approval of the MOA after finding some loopholes in the passing of the ordinance before the city council plenary.

“We found out that approval of this MOA is disadvantageous to the city government. There are a lot of concerns that needs to be clarified tungod kay mogasto niini ang atong siyudad,” she said.

The electrification project as proposed by the management of Moresco 1, claimed that the undertaking would be placed at Fil-Chi Upper and Lower Phase 3 Relocation Site, Calaanan, Canitoan inviting attention to the Construction in aid for Construction amounting to P1,330,770,777  to be paid by the city government.

“Mogasto man ang siyudad sa P1.3 Million which we think is disadvantageous to the city government. But they refused to reimburse the investment made by the city and then pag collection of payments maila ra,” she said.

For her part, Moresco 1 manager Edna Putian-Django said as part of the mandate made by the Energy Regulation Commission (ERC) the third party which the city government should invest for the capitalization of the project.

“This is a government project unlike private individual projects which need reimbursement. The P1.3 million investment of the city government will form part of the recovery during the collection process. Mahimo na lang dayun siya nga construction in aid for the construction lines,” she said.

She said the cost of the materials for the construction of electrical lines and post is chargeable to the P1.3 million investment of the city government.

“No double charging would be made to the customers,” she added.

But Dahino disagrees since Moresco 1 would benefit from the customers electrical bill after the realization of the project.

“It is a social responsibility of Moresco 1 to provide electrical lines as their services kay mao man kana ilang negosyo. This is business pero kung makita nato nga dunay balaod nga kita gyud ang pabayaron mogasto kita,” she pointed out.

Under the amendments set by ERC, Dahino said extension of lines and facilities considered as non-standard connection facilities is at the expense of the distribution utilities which is Moresco 1.

“Under section 2.6.2, in cases of socialized housing projects, relocation or settlement projects the distribution utilities will take charge for everything. And then advance of the said cost and eventually refunded by the distribution utilities. Dili na kita magpaliko-liko. Negosyo man kini,” she explained.