As part of its plan to participate in the bidding for the operation, maintenance, and upgrading of the city’s streetlights, Benguet Electric Cooperative General Manager Gerardo Verzosa requested Mayor Benjamin Magalong for a copy of the project’s terms of reference.
In his letter, Verzosa said after assessing the TOR, Beneco management will come up with its final position if it will participate in the bidding, once the Bids and Awards Committee publishes an invitation to bid for the “smart city streetlighting project.”
Verzosa said Beneco will refer to the TOR in dealing with third parties that have expressed willingness to partner with the electric cooperative for the maintenance and conversion of streetlight bulbs into LED.
Verzosa said Beneco has intentions of pursuing the bid for despite the fact that maintenance of streetlights is lodged with the City Engineering Office, it is Beneco that consumers and barangay officials call when they encounter problems on streetlights maintenance.
The CEO took over the maintenance of the 8,000 streetlights on April 2019.
Verzosa said despite explaining this fact, irate consumers go to the extent of hurling accusations against them, saying that as the electric cooperative operating in the city, it is obliged to ensure that streetlights are appropriately lighted for the safety of the residents.
In 2013, Beneco and the local government signed a memorandum of agreement for the former to maintain and operate the city’s unmetered streetlights until such time that the city will be able to convert the high pressure sodium bulbs into LED. In early 2019, Beneco terminated the agreement claiming it incurred substantial losses because of the length of time it took for the LGU to pursue the conversion.
Earlier, the local government allocated P18 million for the purchase of LED bulbs that will be used to partially replace 1,000 high pressure sodium bulbs. – PIO release
April 25, 2024
