THE proposed joint venture agreement between an electric cooperative in Mindanao and a private company has drawn national attention as a House of Representatives deputy minority leader seeks an inquiry into the agreement while calls grow to protect public school teachers from being involved in a disputed and ongoing legal matter.
Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio, the nominee to the House of the party-list group ACT Teachers, has co-authored House Resolution 1401 filed by South Cotabato Rep. Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, directing the House Committee on Energy to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the conditional joint venture agreement (JVA) between the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Socoteco II) and Ignite Power and Energy Corporation (Ignite).
The resolution seeks to determine the agreement’s compliance with existing laws and regulations; ensure transparency and accountability in the management of cooperative assets; protect the rights and economic interests of member-consumer-owners; and strengthen the regulation of joint venture arrangements involving electric cooperatives.
The issue also involved the participation of public schools and teachers in the Socoteco II plebiscite on the proposed JVA. The Department of Education (DepEd) withdrew from the memorandum of agreement covering the use of school facilities and participation of its personnel in the activity.
The move came after concerns were raised over the possible legal and administrative exposure of teachers involved in the plebiscite. Diocese of Marbel Bishop Cerilo Casicas earlier appealed to Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara to protect teachers from being drawn into a disputed and ongoing legal matter.
‘The concerns raised by Bishop Casicas and local officials are valid and deeply worrying. Our teachers must not be used, and worse, exposed to legal jeopardy, in exercises tied to a disputed and controversial deal. DepEd’s withdrawal is a welcome step, but the department must still guarantee protection and clear guidance for teachers and school heads caught in the middle of this dispute,’ Tinio said.
Tinio said the congressional inquiry would examine whether the agreement serves the interests of electric cooperative members and the public.
‘Once again, we are seeing large business interests expanding their reach into public utilities. Electric cooperatives were built through the collective efforts and sacrifices of communities to provide service to the people, not to become vehicles for concentrating control and profit among a few private interests,’ Tinio said.
He added that agreements involving cooperative assets must undergo thorough review.
‘Ultimately, it is the member-consumer-owners who stand to lose or gain the most from this deal. Their right to a fair, transparent, and credible process must be respected at all costs. The inquiry under HR 1401 will shed light on whether this JVA truly serves the public interest or merely paves the way for a takeover of yet another public utility,’ Tinio said.