It has come to a point that the ABRECO issue is like beating a dead horse. It doesn’t matter how much you want to continue it is not going to get us anywhere.
Just today, Sanguniang Panlalawigan (SP) convened a special session and invited ABRECO officials (sans the General Manager) for inquiry (in aid of legislation) about the ongoing problem of the Cooperative.
I would think by now, Abrenians would rather spend their time with their famly as we are just two days away from Christmas. But if you’re one of those people who have nothing better to do, go listen to the webcast from http://www.yaraworx.com/tingguian/viewpage.php?page_id=52 (it’s 72:28 minutes runtime)
And I had some time to waste so here’s some highlights:
Most important point: ABRECO cannot meet the payment set by Aboitiz on Dec. 24. ABRECO is short by P5 Million. Therefore there’s a possibility that power will be cut-off on Dec. 27. Even with 100% collection rate and eliminate temporary workers, ABRECO is still short of paying their monthly obligations.
– ABRECO has to much employees. Salaries and Wages alone amount to P4.2 Million. Asked what they are doing with this. Management has eliminated (as of Dec.17) all casual employees. This will reduce their payroll by P400,000. there’s currently 373 employees.
– Asked why ABRECO is in deep trouble and what’s their solution? One ABRECO employee (didn’t catch his name) started talking about replacing outdated posts, replace overloaded transformers which I think doesn’t make any sense. Eldrino Reyes explained that the power disruptions was never an issue when ABRECO was under the NAPOCOR. NAPOCOR was more lax as far as payments. The problem started when Suppliers were transferred to Private Corporations where the rules were more strict.
– ABRECO admitted that they are shopping for a new supplier. Hopefully (barbareng koma) this new supplier will be less stricter than Aboitiz.
– An SP member informed the session that the SP has the power to provide funds to ABRECO according to the local government code. But the idea is not sustainable and would result to public outcry because it may affect other government project.
– Pura Sumangil pointed the obvious problem of to much expense and not enough revenue.
— Carmelita Bersalona echoed Ms. Sumangil’s concern. She also pointed out that Abra has the highest power rate in Luzon (more than P10/kilowatt higher). She questions the delay why The Board has not acted on their request for a Special General Assembly despite getting 10% (4,000+ ) signatures from memeber.
– BOD Chairman David Guzman reason out that the BOD has not acted on the request for GA because they need more time to prepare. They also think that alot of Local Officials are not available to join the meeting. He indicated that the earliest they can have the GA is February or March 2013.
– It’s confirmed Cong. Joy Bernos put up $4.9 Million to reconnect the power supply on Dec. 11. ABRECO confirmed it was a loan. “Ngem awan sa ti interest na”.
– The session was presided by Vice Gov. Rolando Somera. GM Seares did not attend the session. SP members seems to be very careful in asking direct questions and instead going around the bush at times.
There you go folks! I hope I didn’t ruin your preparation for Christmas.
abrenian.com 
Bottom line. Nothing was solved at that session. What a waste of time
Posted by miguel | December 23, 2012, 4:48 amDOE Secretary says, they are looking options to help Abreco like using the Emergency Special Powers of the President.
WHAT………? Do you think the President is stupid enough to use his power if he found out that mismanagement of Abreco’s operating expenses was the main cause of their problem? I don’t think so for it runs counter with his fight against corruption.
Posted by helpless consumer | December 24, 2012, 10:39 pmI don’t how to do it sir. Please just delete it if it’s against existing laws/regulations with respect to our freedom of speech. Thank you….
Posted by helpless consumer | December 24, 2012, 10:56 pmcorrection: I don’t know how …..
Posted by helpless consumer | December 24, 2012, 10:58 pmTake note: General Manager Seares did not attend the session because he’s in travel again! Walang nangyari sa session na to. Ask ko lang po bakit si Eldrino Reyes ibinalik na emplyado sa abreco at siya yong isang tagapagsalita e balita ko tinanggal ng management yan and they file cases against him. Ano ba talaga nangyayari dyan sa abreco?
Posted by PIPI | December 23, 2012, 7:25 amPlease excuse me for my ignorance. How does the gen. Manager get his position? Who has the power to relieve such incompetent manager? Majority of consumers could hardly pay their obligations just to avail electricity but here they are victims of unfit or corrupt management Ania ket ti biag tayon ditay abra, subran ti ginnundaway. Kuarta kadi laingen ti kapatgan? Awanen to self respect ken responsibilidad ti agtuturay? Nakababain tay pay nga sangkaprovinciaan nga iramraman dagitoy nga awan consencia. Abra agriingka, bumangonka !
Posted by Tagamasid | December 23, 2012, 7:28 amAt least our SP, Vice Gov., and other concerned individuals have demonstrated their courage in bringing out their concerns or questions and offered some possible brave solutions like deducting their operating expenses which obviously higher than Abreco’s expected income. But the question is, were majority or at least 50% of these operating expenses actually or legally spent or incurred? Whatever, the damage is done but why our SP is sacrificing their fund intended for other purposes when they have the power to investigate where the money went? They could just use this fund in hiring independent private/public auditing/investigative team to be fully guarded in tracing if there was a corruption or qualified theft involved? You can not use government money in a situation like this because it appears that you are condoning corruption? Light or no light, we need to stop now this problem not just a band aid solution by following any lawful acts/remedies or any existing laws applicable herewith.
Posted by Do the right thing, please! | December 23, 2012, 2:01 pmIt is a simple CIRCUS with a cast of clowns in short nagpapatawa ba kayo? Di naman kayo kalbo! Abrenians are not that stupid sometimes, they know wat the real score is in abreco, plain and simple as mr simplicio apolinar said: REMOVE THE GM,AND THEN REPLACE ALL THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS . They are actually the ones who are directing the corruption in the cooperative, the overall director of this movie ” ng kinurap ni gm at ni direct david ang coop nagsikurapan ang lahat!” None other than the most corrupt person as of this moment DIR. DAVID GUZMAN JR.
Posted by Electric boy | December 23, 2012, 2:20 pmis there a candidate for sp who like miriam . if there is pls vote him/her.
Posted by drunken master | December 24, 2012, 8:34 amAy ket naragsak daguiti negosyante ti paid ken kandela ita paskua a. Tay gayyemko nga aglaklako ti paid ket naman ket kano awanen ti abreco ta uray ket agsungrod kano met ti kayo ken uging. good business, djo kunana ti langgong. hehehe
Posted by itong sikkawil | December 23, 2012, 2:52 pmplain and simple as mr simplicio apolinar said: REMOVE THE GM,AND THEN REPLACE ALL THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS .
is this a joke?……..simple apolinar is a regular face in abreco…..apay kurang jay it ited da kenyana nga gas slip kada bisita na ken kanakanna nga badong or he is just playing innocent……..
Posted by bunog | December 23, 2012, 6:59 pm+madamag ko man apo – nangipana ngarud ti abreco diay inutang da nga 12 a milyones a pisos. maysa a mayor ti nangutangan da daytoy
Posted by dodo | December 24, 2012, 3:46 amSTOP BEATING AROUND THE BUSH!…..Stop breaking our bloody hearts….
We have no more tears to shed except blood with all these kind of sufferings you are to giving us…..corruption, lack of decent stable source of income, killings, high-cost of education and basic human needs, political scare tactics and now here comes the unending threat of power shortage (brown or black out) that we can no longer have enough sleep and genuine smile or laughter in the midst of our lonely life.
Enough is enough…WE WANT BANK-SOLVENCY AND THEIR MANAGEMENT or the government will take over it (DEREGULATION?) and never again collect our monthly dues pending prompt but not hypocritical initiatives of concerned individuals, NGOs, or concerned government authorities to end this disgusting embarrassing problem. Be honest and brave enough to accept that we can no longer pay our around 400 million current debt and the hard fact that outside source assistance is not always available or happy to save us.
Can we trust your kind hearts as our only gift and offer you love in return for Christmas?
Thank you….
Posted by helpless consumer | December 24, 2012, 4:04 pmcorrection: sufferings you are giving to us….
Posted by helpless consumer | December 24, 2012, 9:44 pmPINATAY NA NINYO NG SINDAK SI BARBARA!
PINATAY NA NINYO ANG ILAW NAMIN!
PATI BA NAMAN KAMI PAPATAYIN PA BA NINYO SA DILIM?
Naulpit ka ABRECO at kayong mga ibang Kandidato at Kandidata!
Awanen ti RIMAT ti panagbiag mi malaksid after 3 years to man ngata.
Sapay koma Apo ta kasta!
Hmmm….My heart is crying……Hmmm….can you hear me cry?……
Posted by Malaguena | December 24, 2012, 5:05 pmKet nya ya koma ti napocor ,it is another govt agency nga the only sole provider of power in the country with a lot of debts sunga its just passing the buck ti namakyan na ken aboitiz ti abreco ta dikay kano met ammo ti agbaybayad.
Idi basol mi nga consumers. Itan basol manin ni aboitiz saan kay unay nga ambisyoso nga agtakaw gamin a.
Posted by jestoni | December 25, 2012, 5:21 amKet nasisiyaat pay nga saanak agbayad ti koryentek inggana di marisut problema ti abreco. Diak pay ma ususar uray koma minimum apay koma a bayadak ta minimum bills sen takawen yonto met laeng yot.
Ado ti ebidensya nga agtatakaw kayo GM BOD pres ,bods apay uray wan ti whistleblower mi makita met ti ebidensya nalawlawag pay ngem init uray nakulem.
Posted by jestoni | December 25, 2012, 5:29 amRegarding the supposed invitation of the SP members to the ABRECO officials and board of directors, all I see is plain and simple political grandstanding. As per reports, members of the SP refused to ask direct questions and were simply beating around the bush. Was there anything good that came out of it? That invitation was all for show. They were simply trying to gain pogi points. The members of the SP, especially the presiding officer, are all politicians. Pray, tell me, when did Abra politicians really care for the people of Abra? All they do is kill each other fo the right to line their pockets with taxpayers’ money. Common, I was not born yesterday. Only the faces change. The surnames remain the same. Come election time, the people of Abra are offered no clear choices – Bersamin vs. Luna? Bernos vs. Luna? Dominic Valera vs. Ryan Luna? Somera vs. Luna? Molina vs. Bersamin? Common, people of Abra are not stupid. Look at the number of SUVs these family flaunt and weep. What you see is plain and simple plunder of public funds. Shame on all of you government officials and double shame on you, mambers of the SP for taking the people of Abra for a long, rough ride. The same goes to the auditors of COA. You are tasked to prevent the plunder of public funds and yet you shamelessly take your share of the loot. One day soon, the people of Abra will make you account for every single centavo that you stole. Believe you me, that time is very near.
Posted by pedro abreno | December 25, 2012, 3:39 pmas i xpectd n i undrstand how sp did d inquiry to d abreco officials. awan ti claro ng standing na jay boss da.
Posted by drunken master | December 25, 2012, 9:16 pmTama ka Pedro A. Pakitang gilas lang ang ginawa ng SP lalona ang presiding officer. Ito ay Hindi naiiba na from rugs to riches din dahil sa kurakot. Paano nagkaroon ng mga mansion sa Pilar at dito sa Maynila, mga lupa, pangbigtime derby at casino, eh wala namang negosiyo. Pagkatapos kakandidato pangcongress?
Ito naman mga COA, sayang lang ang malalaking sahod nila. Kung hindi ksabuwat, mga duwag ang mga ito. Sayang na sayang ang pera ng bayan. Kung ginagampanan lang ng tapat ang COA ang sinumpaang tungkulin, wala kurakot, walang hirap o hindi ganito kalubha ng paghihirap.
Posted by Tagamacid | December 28, 2012, 9:56 pmI wish all of these comments are posted n facebook. All of Abra must see your comments…Good comments!
Posted by Carmelita E. Omli | January 2, 2013, 2:24 pm