Marcos signs 25-year franchises for AKELCO, BENECO

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law the 25-year franchise renewals of Aklan Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AKELCO) and Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO).

Republic Act (RA) No. 12302 grants AKELCO the authority to serve 17 municipalities in Aklan, the towns of Pandan and Libertad in Antique, and Barangay Damayan in Sapian, Capiz.

RA No. 12303 authorizes BENECO to continue distributing power in Baguio City and 13 municipalities in Benguet, including La Trinidad, Itogon, Tuba, and Mankayan.

The laws, signed on September 12, 2025, will take effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA) hailed the renewals as a milestone in rural electrification.

“We thank President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for recognizing the significance of both ECs in their respective coverage areas,” said PHILRECA Executive Director and General Manager Atty. Janeene Depay-Colingan.

“With new franchises, we can ensure a more energized performance and service excellence from AKELCO and BENECO, delivering the quality electricity that their member-consumer-owners (MCOs) deserve,” she added.

PHILRECA credited the support of Power Bloc representatives Presley de Jesus of PhilRECA Partylist and Sergio Dagooc of APEC Partylist, along with local district representatives, NEA, ERC, the House of Representatives, and the Senate.

Both AKELCO and BENECO have been recognized by the National Electrification Administration as top-performing electric cooperatives.

Their performance has been highlighted by financial transparency, single-digit feeder losses, and electrification programs benefiting marginalized households.