Power firm ready to grant 5% discount to senior citizens

Sunstar Bacolod

THE Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) is ready to grant a five percent discount to senior citizens although no application has yet been approved.

Cheryl Tortal, head of Ceneco's Promotions Section, said Thursday that 57 applications have been received so far with two requests already being processed.

The grant of the utility discount, mandated as per Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Seniors Citizen's Act, took effect January 23, 2011.

"Ceneco is ready to implement the law but senior citizens should also comply with the requirements," she explained.

Senior citizens are entitled to five percent special discounts on their water and electricity bills, provided that individual meters for these utilities are under the name of a senior citizen and monthly consumptions do not exceed 100 kilowatt hours (kWh) for electricity and 30 cubic meters for water.

"Provided, furthermore, that the privilege is granted per household regardless of the number of senior citizens residing therein," Tortal said.

Article 12, Section 1 of the law's Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) also stressed that to avail of the discount; the senior citizen shall apply for the discount personally or through a representative.

An annual renewal of application to the utility provider is also mandated.

Requirements include proof of age and citizenship, proof of billing that the meter registration is in the name of the senior citizen, and proof of residence.

If the bill is not under the name of the senior citizen, a change of bill name could be requested. But the discount would be granted a year after the change of name is approved.

Ceneco general manager Sulpicio Lagarde Jr. said not all coop members who are senior citizens could avail of the special discount, noting that the law is specific enough.

"Only those whose monthly consumption does not go beyond 100kWh; and there are very few senior citizens who are registered as owners in the electricity bills," he said.

He, however, stressed that the grant of the five percent discount will not in any way affect Ceneco's income.

"This is what we call an inter-class subsidy. Those who cannot afford are subsidized by those who can, like what we have for lifeline consumers or our electrification program," he said. (CGC)

Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on February 11, 2011.