Around 38,000 member-consumer-owners (MCOs) from the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Aselco) braved a rainy weekend last Saturday (May 13) to formally pledge their allegiance to the National Center of Electric Cooperative Consumers, Inc. (NCECCO).
National Electrification Administration (NEA) Chief Edgardo Masongsong administered their oath of membership during the 35th Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) of Aselco that was held in four separate venues this year.
The MCOs were gathered at the Aselco main office in the town of San Francisco and three other gymnasiums across the municipalities of Trento, Bayugan City and Talacogon, enabling the electric cooperative to reach its highest AGMA attendance thus far.
Masongsong considered this a “tremendous success” for Aselco, which he attributed to the impressive leadership of its Board of Directors headed by president Corazon Cullantes, and the management staff led by officer-in-charge Leah Fe Estillore.
“The 35th AGMA is a tremendous success in terms of attendance as it actually exceeded the 2016 record of 32,000 and has become a source of pride most especially for the Aselco organization,” the NEA chief said.
“Of course, this also will not be possible without ample support coming from our MCOs, the Multisectoral Electrification Advisory Council and Barangay Power Association members, barangay electricians, the local government units and the media,” he added.
The swearing in of the Aselco MCOs to NCECCO paved the way for the latter to establish its provincial chapter in Agusan del Sur.
For its 35th AGMA, Aselco adopted the theme “Empowering Member-Consumer-Owners” in response to the organization of NCECCO nationwide, especially those situated in the coverage areas of the 121 electric cooperatives under the supervision and control of the NEA.
Apart from Masongsong, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian—the chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Joint Congressional Power Commission—also graced the event, providing morale boost to the electric cooperative consumers.
NCECCO chairman Akhmad Mamalinta, Agusan del Sur Governor Adolph Edward Plaza, Vice Governor Samuel Tortor, Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Edward Mellana and other local chief executives of the participating municipalities were present as well. ###