Entrepreneurial Farmer

I yield this space to the privilege speech of Hon. Franklin L. Quimpo, member Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Aklan. This privilege speech is delivered during the SP Regular session on November 16, 2005, Kalibo, Aklan.
The privilege speech served as Hon. Quimpo’s response to allegations imputed to him by AKELCO management. According to him, “they ridiculed your humble representation instead of giving a forthright answer” to his privilege speech delivered a few weeks ago. The alleged ridicule was made in the morning of Friday, November 11, 2005 during a presscon AKELCO held in Lezo, Aklan.
Should AKELCO management team wished to answer this speech, they are welcome. It will be published also in the same space of Madyaas Pen subject to space limitation.
Here is Hon. Quimpo’s speech:

Is AKELCO Maligned and Intrigued?

Hon. Vice Governor Ronquillo Tolentino
The honorable members of this august body
The members of the fourth estate present
Friends, ladies and gentlemen
Good morning:

When I delivered a privilege speech in this hall a few weeks ago bout AKELCO’s upgrading to A+ category per NEA standards, I never imagined it would stir a hornet’s nest. AKELCO, through its executive committee kuno distributed fliers to the public and later followed it up with a press conference to refute point-by-point issues raised in that speech.
That would have been fine with me except that they ridiculed your humble representation instead of giving a forthright answer. The statement even went farther by saying it was part of a grand plot “to malign and sow intrigue” against AKELCO and that it accused management of “grand corruption” These are very serious accusations and deserve condemnation because those are blatant lies.
The text of that speech will show that I did not insult nor allude any wrongdoing against anyone much less accused management of grand corruption. We must remember that AKELCO is a public utility and is owned by its consumer members. It is their obligation and responsibility to disclose to the public its true financial condition including all transactions that could directly affect them. As an elected official and a member of this august body and as a consumer member, it is also my obligation and responsibility to seek the truth about AKELCO. But this action did not sit well with them and so, by innuendo they accused me of allowing myself to be an unwitting tool of people who have other ideas in mind. What hogwash!
But what indeed is the truth about AKELCO/ in the three year period when they engaged the services of the change management team headed by its Team Leader and executive officer Erico Bucoy, AKELCO incurred a net loss of 98 million, broken down as follows: 42 million in 2002, 22 million in 2003 and 34 million in 2004. Are these figures fake? I have here in my possession AKELCO’s financial statement, which they submitted to this august body to prove that.
What is worse is that they have the impudence to say that one of the causes for the loss in 2004 was the payment of real estate taxes to the provincial government of Aklan which according to them AKELCO was “made to pay and therefore precious money was taken from them,” Are they saying that they were forced to

pay the taxes due to the provincial government? Let me remind AKELCO that it is their obligation to pay because nobody is exempted.
I am appalled, to say the least, to think that the change management team engaged by AKELCO to manage its day to day business affairs and who are paid a hefty P350,000.00 a month excluding perks and privileges has the temerity to make that statement!
And since I am now talking about the change management team I would like to inform this body that aside from the original team of Erico Bucoy, a local change management team of three individuals were hired by AKELCO to augment the original team. These individuals are also receiving generous emolument and other perquisites. No wonder AKELCO is losing heavily.
There are disturbing information that some members of the local change management team who arre also active members of non-government organizations/foundations are cornering lucrative contracts with AKELCO for their own foundations.
These contracts for organizing, meter reading, clearing, etc., which are formerly the regular functions of AKELCO personnel, are now being done by these foundations. Considering the degree of influence of the LCMT in the AKELCO management, an award of these contracts to their own foundations is immoral, if do not outright illegal. These contracts entered into by AKELCO with these foundations should be made available to the public and if proven that indeed these are “arms length transactions”, then these should be exposed.
In every occasion when the spokespersons of AKELCO are given the opportunity to speak, they take pride in the exemplary and extraordinary achievements of the change management team in making possible the turnaround of AKELCO from category E to A+ electric cooperative. This means that AKELCO is now fully rehabilitated and therefore the services of the change management team are no longer needed. Why then are the members of this team still with AKELCO? And in the same vein, why did AKELCO have to engage the services of this new team?
What is even more deplorable are the statements made by Mr. Erico Bucoy in a press conference a few months ago when he branded Mr. Pocholo Murillo, spokesperson of the Diocese of Kalibo and Vice President of Boracay Foundation Inc. (as) “mayabang, sinungaling, dishonest and hypocrite.” He also twitted the accomplishments of former SP member Atty. Romeo Inocencio saying he had done nothing during his tenure in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan and advised SP member Ramon Gelito to be very careful because he is a public official of Aklan. These are cavalier statements meant to insult and tarnish the integrity of these people. What gall!
And as if to prove that he is a cut above everyone else, Mr. Bucoy consistently refused to personally appear before this august body. He only appeared one (1) time out of ten (10) invitations. This is the height of arrogance and a gross insult not only to the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan but also to the people of Aklan who elected us.
In view thereof Hon. Chair, I would like to submit this speech and its supporting attachments to the Committees on Energy and Cooperatives for proper investigation and appropriation action.
Thank you. /MP