City council asks utility firms to suspend disconnections

BACOLOD City – The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod asked the Central Negros Electric Cooperative, Bacolod City Water District, telecoms, and other utilities in the city to suspend disconnection activities amid the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) in Bacolod until Sept. 30.

The resolution authored by Councilor Simplicia Distrito and co-authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa was approved by the SP in its recent regular session.

Distrito said the suspension of disconnections will allow consumers and subscribers who lost their jobs and are financially burdened during the pandemic to recover financially.

She cited the severe effects of several quarantine statuses the city underwent, especially on businesses and jobs of the residents.

The city was recently placed under a Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine or MECQ status, and this again closed down most businesses and suspended the operation of public utility vehicles, Distrito said.

She stressed that without businesses, “Bacolodnons will have no income to pay for their bills and even if they have the capacity to pay, they cannot do it on time due to the suspension of public transportation.”

“This body appeals to the utilities in the City of Bacolod to empathize with our constituents by suspending disconnections probably until the end of the year so they can recover and help them not to worry about settling their bills as soon as possible.”