Author: SORECO DOS

The Bicol Electic Cooperatives Association (BECA) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA)  held the seminar-workshops on the organization of member-consumer-owners and on how to conduct consumer satisfaction survey for bicol electric coops on June 7 and 8, 2018, respectively, at Villa Caceres Hotel, Naga City.

 

Upon request of BECA President and CASURECO I GM Ana Sylvia M. Alsisto, NEA acceded to hold the said seminar-workshops in bicol instead of doing it in Metro Manila in order to allow as many bicol EC participants as possible at the least cost.

 

On June 7, 2018, the MCO organizing was conducted by the NEA-IDD-CDPD team composed of  Guillermo M. Paz, DCPD Head; Ma. Regina C. Filoteo, Info. Chief; Claire P. Quetua, Sr. Info. Officer and Geralene T. Castro, CRO. The activity was attended by the bicol coops’ ISD/MSD Managers, Member Services Division Head and Info Officers. Bicol AIM President Ramoncito Carranza and VP Concordio Romano, gave the welcome and closing remarks, respectively.

On June 8, 2018, the Consumer Satisfaction Survey seminar-workshop was conducted by the NEA personnel headed by Mr. Nollie B. Alamillo, Manager, Institutional Development Department -NEA.

 

The activity  was attended by the General Managers, Institutional Services Department Managers, Area Managers, Branch Managers, Information Officers, Consumer’s Welfare Desk Officers and Information Technology Specialists from the 11 Bicol ECs. SORECO II outnumbered the attendees with 21 participants, 9 of them were Branch Managers, 11 were Consumer’s Welfare Desk Officers and 1 Information Technology Specialist.

 

The main objectives of the seminar workshop are to measure customer satisfaction through feedback mechanism, improve delivery of electric service, strengthen linkage between electric utilities and MCOS and to earn their  trust and loyalty. Mr. Guillermo M. Paz, CDPD Head,  emphasized the role of ISD Managers & Area Managers & CWDOs in handling consumer’s complaint until it is settled and resolved.

 

IDD chief Nollie B. Alamillo  discussed the policy re: Customer Satisfaction Survey and the mechanics of its implementation as part of the 2018 NEA performance evaluation criteria for electric cooperatives.# (Justo Lito B. Destura)

The Camarines Sur II and III Electric Cooperatives’ staff  (CASURECO 2 & 3) on separate occasions recently visited SORECO II to gain insights and establish points of reference on SORECO II’ electronic voting and e-registration projects which were recently implemented in January, 2018 and in April this year, respectively.

 

Mr. Rolando Pante, CASURECO II ISD Manager, together with his staff, Elmer Clarete, Jonnil  Da Siona, Everild Gerd Pablo, Mark Allen Deduque and Cristine Amenillo visited SORECO II April 24, 2018 to query on the policy guidelines and processes in the conduct of board directors’ election through electronic voting of member-consumer-owners. Electronic voting is a term

used to describe the act of voting using electronic systems to cast and count votes. This technology was used by SORECO II when it conducted its board directors’ elections  covering nine (9) districts in January 13, 2018. With CASURECO II’s stay, it hopes to also use the same technology in their franchise area.

 

Similarly, Ms. Caroline Yorobe, CASURECO III ISD chief, together with her IT staff, Angeline Roman, Mariela Sharif, Kathleen Martal, Mary Joy Ajero and Ann Rochi Iraola dropped by SORECO II office on May 5, 2018 to see for themselves how the electronic registration of member-consumer-owners worked when SORECO II held its 29th Annual General Assembly (AGMA) on April 21, 2018.

 

In both instances, MSDM Ramoncito J. Carranza & Systems Administrator Antonio Sale, Jr. answered their queries and guided them in simulating the e-voting and e-registration systems. With the approval of the National Elecrification Administration, the e-voting and e-registration are first to be used or implemented in SORECO II from among the electric cooperatives in the bicol region.#moncarranza

 

The Sorsogon II Electric Cooperative through General Manager, Atty. Percival G. Alvarez, ordered on May 18, 2018, the exemption of senior citizens and persons with disability, who are member-consumers of electricity from the payment of the value added tax (VAT) on distribution, supply and metering (DSM) charges on their monthly power bills.

 

In his memorandum issued, the general manager directed the Consumer Accounts Management Department to immediately adjust the coop’s billing software and implement the exemptions in favor of the seniors and pwds whose power bills are under their names.

 

The exemption on the sale, lease of goods and services was anchored on Section 34 of Republic Act 10963, known as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law or the TRAIN Law in relation to RA 9994 otherwise called as the Senior Citizens’ Act of 2010 and RA 10754 or the Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of Persons with Disability.

 

The twelve percent (12%) value added tax (VAT) exemption on distribution, supply and metering (DSM) charges on the monthly power bills will ease the senior citizens’ and PWDs’ expenses on power cost thus giving them the chance to instead spend the saved money for their medical and other basic needs. #moncarranza

 

To provide livelihood projects for the SORECO II member-customer-owners (MCOs), the SORECO II board of directors and management decided to allocate pangkabuhayan grand prizes for the 29th Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) held on April 21, 2018 at the Sorsogon National High School covered court, Magsaysay Avenue, Sorsogon City.

Dir. Maria D. Surbano of Prieto Diaz district, Chairman of the Consumer Relations Committee, sponsored a resolution authorizing the SORECO II General Manager Atty. Percival G. Alvarez to allocate and release necessary fund intended for the grand prizes (BOD Reso. # 87 S.2018) which was unanimously approved by the board during its regular board meeting on  March 17, 2018. #mpd

 

The grand prizes include one unit Bajaj tri-wheeler and one unit Kawasaki Barako 175cc tricycle. Other big consolation prizes were also raffled-off to the attending member-consumers.

 

 

The attending member-consumers in the SORECO II 29th Annual General Membership Assembly held on April 21, 2018 at the Sorsogon National High School Covered Court, Magsaysay Avenue, Sorsogon City, unanimously approved the putting-up of the internet systems, radio and television projects by amending the SORECO II Articles of Incorporation and including the same as part of the cooperative’s secondary purposes.

The amendments, being part of the new business tackled during the assembly, was presented by Ms. Rita V. Escandor, SORECO II Cable TV and Special Projects Manager. Dr. Virgilio S. Real, Chairman of the Multi Sectoral Electrifiication Advisory Council (MSEAC) for Sorsogon East District moved for its approval which was duly seconded.

The unanimous approval of the said projects will pave the way for the enhanced member sevices and effective conduits of membership information and education activities of SORECO II.

 

 

In attendance were the 7,945 member-consumer-owners representing 10.42% of the total billed consumers, the MSEAC members, Audit Committee members, the nine (9) SORECO II Board of Directors headed by Board President Aurelio D. Destacamento,  and the SORECO II  Working Committees led by SORECO II GM Atty. Pervical G. Alvarez.  Senator Joseph Francis G. Escudero was the honored guest and speaker of the said annual assembly. #rjc

 

The SORECO II Member Services Department wrapped up a successful conduct of 29th Annual General Membership Assembly where 7,945 (10.47%) of the total 75,868 MCOs in the SORECO II franchise area registered and participated on 21st of April 2018 at the Sorsogon National High School covered court.
Earlier in the preparation for the activity, S2 members registered thru electronic registration at the branch offices using CWDOs’ desktops and laptops with biometrics machines and webcams to permanently record their membership details.
After the meeting was called to order and proof of notice was presented, BOD Secretary Laurencia J. Ferolino declared

the presence of quorum . Considering the minutes of the previous AGMA, Ms. Ferolino also raised the matters arising therefrom. In addition to Internal Audit Department Manager Iluminado H. Bello’s report on audited financial statement, other department managers  disclosed the coop’s accomplishments and projects. BOD President Aurelio D. Destacamento who gave the welcome address also introduced the event’s guest speaker, Senator “Chiz” Escudero.

         Meanwhile, the attending Multi-Sectoral Electrification Committee officers and members called on the MCOs to support the new businesses presented by the SII management. The General Assemby then, approved the Cash Operating Budget for 2018 and passed a GA Resolution amending the SORECO II Articles of Cooperarion by including thereto the installation, operation and maintenance of (i) internet systems; (ii) Radio and/or TV project. Before the much awaited raffle draw portion proceeded, MSEAC Cesar Esperida of Gubat motioned to adjourn the assembly which was unanimously seconded.
This major activity with 10.47% attendance out of the 5% NEA requirement created huge impact on the coop’s performance standards. SORECO II owed its triumph to the board, management, MSEAC and the employees’ working committees who worked hand-in-hand since day one. The 29th AGMA thru electronic registration was designed to open up wider MCO participation in coop affairs like this. SORECO II concluded two (2) “firsts” in its history this year- the BOD election thru electronic voting and electronic AGMA registration. #mpd

A rescue/emergency vehicle was recently-launched by SORECO II board and management, as part of the cooperative’s social responsiblity program, for the use of the member-consumer-owners and employees who will need it in cases of emergencies in order to save or preserve human lives.
Atty. Percival G. Alvarez, SORECO II General Manager (GM) made such proposal which was readily approved by the board of directors through Board Resolution No. 271 by converting one the coop’s service vehicles, the starex van into a rescue transport vehicle. In the said resolution, the board stated that an earlier Board Resolution No. 221 authorized the general manager to allocate fund for the establishment of SORECO II mobile clinic which will serve both the employees and its member-consumers and to come up with a medical program in relation thereto. Selected employees of SORECO II who have undergone extensive trainings on disaster risk reduction management conducted by the concerned government agencies in the locality will man the rescue vehicle.

The putting-up of the SORECO II rescue vehicle is also in consonance with the institutional governance parameters, particularly on good governance, customer service and satisfaction, under the 2018 enhanced EC overall performance assessment criteria set by the National Electrification Administration. # rjc

The on-going formation of Member-Customer-Owners Organization within the SORECO II franchise area is the coop’s efforts and initiatives to organize and empower member-customer-owner into a strong community-based organization for wider involvement and participation in the affairs of the coop towards sustainable rural electrification program as per R.A. 10531.

Consequently, it is the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) policy to implement a set of performance parameters for ECs that will serve as basis in the assessment of the EC Overall Annual Performance and this 38% institutional-governance parameter weighs 3 in the present Key Performance Standard (KPS).

For the SORECO II to instigate the absolute force from MCOs with a lesser paperwork and along with membership sanitation of records, starting March of 2018, regular information drives were scheduled by the Member Services Department spearheaded by MSDM Ramoncito J. Carranza, Ph.D.  where they simply gather and meet the MCOs  from each barangay to join the cause. Atty. Percival G. Alvarez correspondinly  issued a memorandum to branch offices and special accounts officer to do the same. The positions of Chairman, Vice-chairman, Secretary, treasurer, Auditor and PIO will be occupied which shall form thereafter as MCOO for each barangay.

As of the latest MSD report, there are already five (5) MCOOs formed in Donsol district, eight (8) in Pilar, two (2) in Prieto Diaz, one (1) from Sorsogon East and another one (1) from Sorsogon West district. #mpd