Barangay officials representation in electric cooperatives board proposed

A lawmaker has proposed the eligibility of barangay officials to run for a seat in the board of
directors of electric cooperatives due to their better grasp of the situation of the communities that the
electric cooperatives serve.
Rep. Joseph Stephen S. Paduano (Party-list Abang !ingkod" author of #ouse $ill %&'( said by
the very nature of their position they can very well craft policies that are responsive to these needs.
Paduano said the measure amends Section )*-A of Presidential +ecree ,o. )*& as amended
otherwise known as the -,ational .lectrification Administration +ecree./
Paduano said P+ ,o. )*& was issued by then President 0erdinand 1arcos in 2&'3 to strengthen
the government4s electrification program by reorgani5ing the ,ational .lectrification Administration
(,.A" that was earlier created under Republic Act ,o. *63( also known as the -,ational .lectrification
Administration Act./ 7t allowed barangay officials to be members of the board of directors of electric
cooperatives.
#owever P+ ,o. )*& was amended by Republic Act ,o. 26832or the -,ational .lectrification
Administration Reform Act of )623/ which dis9ualified all government elected and appointed officials in
the board.
-Recogni5ing that these barangay officials were used in the past by interest groups to the
detriment of the consumers the bill further proposes the creation of a screening committee composed of
credible members of the community that would vet the 9ualifications of the candidates for the board/
Paduano stressed.
According to Paduano the bill also proposes to allow the elderly to be members of the board of
directors recogni5ing the insights and e:perience that these citi5ens have ac9uired over the years and
thus e:tending their opportunity to contribute to the general welfare of the community by removing the
cap of the age 9ualification of the candidates.
-7t is believed that these proposals when passed would improve the service of electric
cooperatives to its consumers/ Paduano said.
;nder the bill the screening committee shall be composed of the Regional +irector of ,.A or
his or her representative as <hairperson= representative from the business community from the academe
from the civil society based in the region and representative from the religious communities.
>he screening committee shall consider a candidate4s integrity e:perience education competence
and probity in determining whether he or she shall be fit and proper to become a director or officer of the
electric cooperative.
>he minimum 9ualifications of a director or officer of the electric cooperative shall at least be a
graduate of any four-year course or has a five-year e:perience on any field of e:pertise or profession.
0urther the candidate must be at least between )2 years to '6 years old on the date or election.
>he measure mandates the ,.A to formulate the necessary implementing rules and regulations of
this Act. (36" lvc
NR # 3601B
SEPT. 26, 2014