PECO exec urges consumers to be ‘independent power producers’

By: Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – A top executive of Panay Electric Company (PECO) based in Iloilo City is pushing for independent energy production in the Visayas as demand for power is seen to double in the next 10 years.

Marcelo Cacho, PECO Head of Public Engagement and Government Affairs, on Oct 10, 2019 further encouraged “everybody to try to be independent already and to start producing their own power.”

Cacho was one of the speakers in Promoting Business Partnerships and Good Governance in the Visayas Region held at the Negros First Hostel here.

He said eventually, the future of the Philippine energy sector is that the people will individually be producing their own power sources.

He also said that “you can turn it into a business where you can sell it to the electric utility and will be redistributed to the community.”

That is what you call independent power producers, Cacho told reporters here.

He said there are no “small players in the power industry.”

Cacho also said that he wants to focus on building and promoting sustainable energy practices hinged on technology and business for the best interest of his “kasimanwa” in Iloilo.

He further said that as the Philippines pursues energy independence, the role of each energy contributor becomes increasingly important in forming a culture of interdependence between big and small contributors and collectively helping the country meet its own energy demands.

Cacho said that even the smallest power distributors have a critical role in the country’s energy future as they provide access to energy in areas not served by the bigger energy players, particularly in the provinces

“There are no small players in the energy sector. We need the power of competition. We need the power of choice for the Philippines to move forward,” Cacho added.

“Whether you’re a scientist, or a consumer, we all have a role in shaping our energy future in the Visayas and the whole of the Philippines.”

Cacho also said that the future of the power industry in the Visayas is digitalization.

PECO has already started in this direction by introducing the smart meter, which is on a test run in 4,000 households out of 64,000 consumers in Iloilo City.

Caho said that they aim to wipe out all conventional meters in five years.

The smart meters are installed in households for free.

The whole country should be heading for this, Cacho said, adding that it is also one of the programs of the Department of Energy.

Another innovation PECO introduced is solar lease where the consumers can lease a solar panel for their use and eventually own it in ten years with the guaranteed 25 years usage of the solar panel.