It seemed like it was only yesterday when the Benguet Electric Cooperative sprouted from the old electric system then managed by the local governments, the city services department in the case of Baguio, and the municipalities in the case of Benguet.
It was not called BENECO then. In that old chapter of basic electricity delivery, one had to wait for days before power was restored. Blame it on the unavailability of government service vehicles and workers who lacked the expertise that their jobs required.
That was the situation then that motivated President Marcos to ask Congress to draft a law that would modernize the outward distribution of electricity from the Ambuklao, Binga, Magat, and Pantabangan dams to rural communities.
It was the solution to the improvement of roads and bridges nationwide and invited foreign business investors that could prop up the Philippine economy. Hence, the electric cooperatives that were the firstborn of Martial Law. BENECO was one of them.
Fast forward to what we see now, without doubt the services rendered by BENECO to its hundreds of thousands of member-consumers in Baguio and Benguet have reached Triple “A” category through the years, since its creation in October of 1973.
As we celebrate, we are reminded of the high and low obstacles the men and women of the cooperative had to hurdle, including the court cases that were won and lost. Remember also the accidents encountered by BENECO workers that led to hospitalizations and several deaths.
Recollect the happy moments and painful victories that led BENECO to what it is now, notwithstanding the snoopy moves of people who were supposed to be the cooperative’s allies, but instead took the wrong sides.
Recognize and appreciate the adversities encountered through all those years by BENECO’s workers and managers, whether hard working, lazy, retarded, retired or still to retire. Include in your imagination the past and present directors, whether honest, corrupt, elected or appointed, for these were all the elements that molded our electric coop.
Speaking of workers, I recall GM Gerry Versosa, his glassmates Domc Cimatu, Ed Brillantes, and Francis Lee to name a few. Behind the office tables, I remember Brenda Carling and her officemates.
Climbing ladders, I am reminded of Engr. Art Bacoco and Engr. Mel Licoben who are now presently on the management side of the fence, and so with their field men who saw to it that electricity flowed to the houses so that Gerry’s head stayed cool always.
But at 51, there are little things that are overlooked by management which I was able to whisper to GM Licoben’s considerate mind. Lately, I requested him to remind BENECO guards to allow paying MCOs to sit inside the collection rooms while waiting for the window tellers to come back from their lunch break, to which he agreed.
This, after BENECO clients were seen waiting in line under their umbrellas outside the building, because the doors were closed, and no bad ogling at the guards who were warm and dry were ever successful in fixing the situation.
Another concern that people wished to remind the BENECO board directors was for them to at least finish the three-year term of the position to which they were voted for.
Not to mention names, there were directors in the past who used BENECO resources to launch their candidacies in local elections.
Congratulations to BENECO, the management and staff, the BoDs and the MCOs!
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It is “karambola” time for mayors, vice mayors and councilors in the 13 towns of Benguet. I say, “May the best man or woman win!” But many say, “May the most generous candidate win!”
Winning an election today is turning out to be dependent on the amount of cash that a candidate can throw around, if it hasn’t happened yet.
At least, this is not what I see in Bokod where all mayoralty bets are running under no listed political party. That means, each one of them who filed their certificate of candidacy is running independently.
In that case, there is the possibility that all four of them will be in one single political rally on one common stage and will discuss one after the other their dreams and promises for Bokod. When that happens, the food expenses and logistics will be very affordable because each mayoralty bet, and the rest of the candidates will contribute.
This happened in the past even while the bets belonged to particular political parties. As expected, the political campaign was jubilant with supporters of the independent bets all gathered in one venue.
Bokod’s mayoralty candidates this time are Rico P. Esnara, Roberto K. Fernando Jr., Eric Donn Ignacio, Rey B. Tello and Severino B. Wales Jr. In some ways, all of them are related by blood or affinity.
For vice mayor, the bets are Doroteo S. Beray, Elinger G. Dayotao and Johnny A. Sama. The competition for the second post is quite interesting, too. In a town like Bokod, everybody knows everybody, that is why no one can hide secrets from the public.
For councilors, I saw the names of bets who have the same sources of voters. The list included Seller Minong, Patty Lamsis, Brenda Laudato, Alex Piok and Bias Cosalan. Baltazar Fernando and Pancho Esnara, whose brothers are mayoralty bets, are also running as councilors.
In La Trinidad, the contending mayoralty bets are Vice Mayor Roderick C. Awingan and Councilor John G. Botiwey. They are not strangers to each other considering that they are brothers-in-law. John’s sister is Roderick’s better half.
If so, then it’s easy for voters to choose. They can vote for any of the two even with their eyes closed. As for the third bet, forget it. I do not even know if the aspirant is a man or a woman. But the candidate is the only one who is qualified in the statement: May the best man or woman win.
For vice mayor, there are two bets but only one will win even if La Trinidad voters equally vouch for both Henry M. Kipas and Guiller A. Galwan.
For La Trinidad councilors, I saw the names of friends and relatives Arthur M. Shontogan, my cousin Thomas A. Abodiles, Jr., nephews Horacio A. Ramos, Jr. and Jude Bryan L. Lee, acquaintances Bartolome Baldas, Jr., Teddy C. Walang, Mauricio P. Pagedped, Rolando P. Leon, Renato B. Tereng, Daniel S. Taltala, Cleff B. Vencio, Tyrone T. Diaz and Jason C. Dangwa.
More karambola next week.