Razon-led firm woos Ceneco workers through Iloilo site visit

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Some employees of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) who resisted the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) between Ceneco and Enrique Razon-led Primelectric Holdings Inc. were herded to Iloilo City to visit the facilities of MORE Power.

According to Ma. Cecilia Pe-Calunod, Assistant Vice President of Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC), they invited Ceneco employees for benchmarking with their sister company.

Through their visit, the Ceneco employees personally saw the modern and high-tech facilities and equipment of MORE Power and the system of the private distribution utility.

They visited the state-of-the-art substations in Molo and Megaworld, the 24/7 Customer Service Office, the modernized Control Center, the Trading Operation for the purchase of cheaper electricity, and the warehouse of the equipment.

MORE Power personnel also made a presentation of their activities to Ceneco employees.

One of the Ceneco employees, Sheena Lyn Diaz, said that the installation of the electric connection of the applicants only takes more or less one week with MORE Power, but with Ceneco, it takes three to four weeks.

“Sa Customer Service na amaze kami kay ti most sang sa amun is sa application man. Maybe because si Ceneco is cooperative pa siya bala. Damu kami requirements nga gina require, kis-a may mga indi ma-submit. Sa installation lawig gid ya sa amon,” Diaz said.

The  Ceneco employees said they were impressed with the modern equipment of MORE, which is a far cry from what they have been using for decades.

“Nakita ko gid nga daw kalayu sang nalab-ot na sang MORE which is bag-o lang ka sugod, layu na ang mga nalab-ot nila bala. Kag mostly nakita ko sa substations, high-tech na gid ya. Malayu sa iban,” said John Raymond Ortiz, leadman of the Service Installation section of Ceneco.

Account inspector Jonathan Prietos, who has been with Ceneco for 29 years, said, “It is high time that we the employees should accept the fact that it is time for change.”

“Okay gid ko ya. Nakita ta man nga kinanglan na gid man sang Ceneco nga mag move on ukon mag kwan sa lain na bala status kay kadamu sang problema sa Ceneco nga ga pending indi maubra dayun”  Prietos further said.

Calunod said they invited Ceneco employees to see for themselves how MORE Power operates to provide high-quality service to consumers.

MORE Power also featured the programs of the company for the employees so they can work in a conducive environment and produce results that would redound to the good and welfare of the member-consumers.

“We do business, we train our people to be leaders in the long run. That’s why makita nila kag na witness in their very own eyes, may employee engagement gid. We value that. Holistic ang approach sa empleyado. The management always believes that giving benefits or attention to the welfare of the employees would also result in good service,” Calunod said.

Some Ceneco workers opposed the JVA between Ceneco and Primelectric for fear that they would be displaced.

NEPC, which is the JVA company, will not absorb Ceneco workers but will hire them under its own procedures and requirements.