Ceneco workforce ‘overhaul’ looms once NEPC gets franchise

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) workforce will be totally overhauled once Negros Electric and Power Corp (NEPC) gets its congressional franchise and takes over the cooperative’s service area.

Ceneco general manager, Atty. Arnel Lapore told Daily Guardian that all 450 Ceneco workforce will be severed from the cooperative with full separation or retirement pay.

But Ceneco employees who will apply with NEPC will be given priority in hiring.

Lapore said that a new set of management with the majority coming from Ceneco will take over once the NEPC franchise is approved.

“It will be a fresh start for NEPC once the franchise is granted,” he added.

But he said that the separation of all Ceneco employees will only happen when NEPC gets its franchise and infuses fresh capital as stipulated in the joint venture agreement (JVA).

Lapore said Ceneco currently has no financial capacity to pay for the services of its employees and will have to wait until NEPC gets its franchise.

“Maybe by May next year,” Lapore said when asked for a timeline.

“It will happen when NEPC gets its franchise, if not then it will not,” he stressed.

Lapore said that the approval of the House of Representatives plenary of the bill granting a franchise to NEPC on Wednesday night “shows the overwhelming  support of the legislators on the measure.”

“It gives us a clearer direction towards the goal of truly improving the services of Ceneco under a joint venture company,” Lapore further said.

NEPC was formed through a joint venture agreement between Ceneco and Primelectric Holdings Inc of businessman Enrique Razon.