Pelco consumers’ group urges people to vote (Sun.Star, Sunday, November 04, 2007)

Pelco consumers’ group urges people to vote
By Ian Ocampo Flora

STA RITA -- Election fever is far from over as the western towns of the province prepare for the upcoming district director elections to fill up seats for the board of directors in a cooperative here.

The Pampanga II Electric Cooperative Incorporated (Pelco II) will have its board of director elections from November to December. There will be seven district elections for towns with vacant director's position namely: Samuan (November 11), Sta. Rita (November 17), Porac (November 18), Bacolor (November 24), Mabalacat (December 1), Lubao (December 8) and Guagua (December 16).

Catalina Saplala of the Consumer's Alliance of Pelco II (Cap 2) said that the elections would be important for consumers, especially those who are dissatisfied with the current management of the cooperative.

"The director's election was pushed through despite earlier pronouncements of the board they want to extend their term of office. It is through the intercession of the National Electrification Commission that we have director's election as of the moment," Saplala said.

"The problem that CAP2 sees now is the obvious misinformation of most of our consumers in the upcoming election. We are urging the Pelco2 management through its Member Services Department (MSD) to beef up their information dissemination and go house to house if possible just to entice consumers to vote," Saplala added.

According to Saplala most directors only win by a minimum vote since most consumers do not attend the elections. A district director sits in for three years before his term expires.

"If an official is elected he must have the mandate of the people before he could sit in the board of directors and represent the people," Saplala added, stressing that voters should be vigilant of the qualifications of candidates.

"Some people only use the position to grandstand and not to serve. Cap2 is hoping that consumers would be wise enough not to make mistakes in choosing their directors," she said.

Cap2 is a watchdog organization of Pelco2 consumers established in the 80's during the turbulent years of the cooperative. The organization had earned juridical status with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) making it a legitimate consumer organization.

Pelco2 directors tried to postpone the director's election because of the recent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

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