Displaced Lanao Sur power coop employees in Marawi get financial assistance, relief aid

ILIGAN CITY—Employees of the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Lasureco) displaced by the month-long armed clashes between the government forces and members of the Maute terror group in Marawi City have received financial assistance from different electric cooperatives (ECs).

National Electrification Administration (NEA) chief Edgardo Masongsong on Thursday, June 22, spearheaded the turnover of relief goods and financial assistance to Task Force Duterte Lanao Sur Power, which currently manages Lasureco, in a simple ceremony held at the cooperative’s satellite office in Iligan City.

It was a joint undertaking of NEA and various electric cooperatives’ organizations such as the National Center of Electric Cooperative Consumers, Inc. (NCECCO), the Rural Electric Cooperative Board of Directors Association, Inc. (Recoboda), and the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (Amreco).

Joining Masongsong at the ceremonial turnover were NCECCO national chairman and Recoboda president Akmad Mamalinta, NEA Deputy Administrator Goldelio Rivera, Amreco President Sergio Dagooc, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) consultant Pedrito Baculio, and representatives from GNPower Kauswagan.

The NEA, NCECCO, Recoboda and Amreco turned over some P130,000 in cash and P300,000 in checks for a total of P430,000 to Task Force Duterte Lanao Sur Power headed by Acting General Manager Nordjiana Ducol.

“I am really very thankful sa apat na institusyon plus ang mga kooperatiba na nandito ngayon nagtulong-tulong, ipinapakita natin ‘yung ating pakikiisa, ‘yung ating pagtulong, ‘yung ating pagmamahal sa bawat isa,” Masongsong told Lasureco employees.

Likewise, the National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives, Inc. (Nagmec) already passed a resolution granting some P150,000 while the NCECCO-Recoboda-Abdec (Association of Board of Directors of Electric Cooperatives, Inc.) are awaiting more donations to come next week.

Administrator Masongsong said the NEA has also approved the grant of financial assistance to Lasureco convertible to subsidy and it will be released on staggered basis starting next week for working capital use.

For her part, Ducol expressed her sincere thanks for the donations from various power coops and private companies. “Sa inyo po kami kumukuha lahat ng pag-asa para makabangon kami ulit,” she said. “Nagpapasalamat po kami sa inyo. Sana hindi kayo magsawang tulungan kami.”

In addition, the Task Force also received 412 boxes of relief goods from the NGCP. The GNPower, meanwhile, donated 25 packs of relief goods and 25 sacks of rice. The NGCP likewise promised to give an additional 745 boxes of relief goods.

The employees of Lasureco were among the thousands of civilians affected by hostilities in Marawi City. Since the fighting erupted on May 23, the Task Force Duterte has been continuously mobilizing its personnel to ensure the unhampered delivery of basic electricity services to the consumers within its franchise area. ###

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