(Editor’s Note: This is a press release from the camp of Atty. Ana Maria Paz Rafael. We will also accomodate any press release from the opposing camp on the issues raised here.)
Beneco General Manager Atty. Ana Maria Paz Rafael said the cooperative will be transparent under her leadership assuring member-consumer owners (MCOs) that their right to be informed will be respected.
Rafael said “I want to hear everybody as much as possible so that I can understand what is it that concerns our member-consumers, during dialogues with small groups, to avoid mass gatherings.”
Rafael was appointed by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) as general manager on July 29, 2021, after undergoing a rigorous screening process conducted by the Selection Committee of the NEA following her application to the position in July 2020 where she allegedly emerged to have obtained a mile difference score than the other applicant.
The NEA is the government regulatory body of all Electric Cooperatives (ECs) in the Philippines.
Rafael said, “under a transparent Beneco, I will continue to have dialogues, consultations and I will listen to the inquiries and problems of the member-consumers because they have a lot when it comes to issues on electricity so that I can understand where they are coming from.”
The general manager has repeatedly expressed readiness and willingness to work with everyone for the welfare of our member-consumers.
The general manager said she will raise the issues, problems, and queries of the member-consumers with the Board of Directors (BOD), managers, and supervisors in charge of the topic to get answers and work on possible solutions.
She said that she will continue to meet with the member-consumers.
“That is where I want to start while setting up the administrative works here in the office. That is how I would like to go about with the first month as General Manager,” the lady lawyer said.
Rafael further said “I intend to bring myself to the consumer-members. I will visit the districts to listen to them,” she said.
GM Rafael said that understanding where the consumer-member are coming from will allow her to do the appropriate actions.
She added that by listening to the public, she would be able to get inputs from the member-consumers who legally are the owners of Beneco, who must at all times be given the chance to be heard.
“I would like to map out what else can be added or done to improve some more the good services being provided by the employees of Beneco.”
She said that she’s been hearing a lot of problems being raised by the member-consumers which she wants to be acted on by providing answers and solutions.
“Alam ko may solusyon ang lahat ng iyan at kailangan ipa-alam natin sa mga member-consumers,” GM Rafael said.
With transparency among her thrusts as General Manager, Rafael said she wants programs, projects, and activities made known to the public.
She said that for projects, the contractors and amounts invovled iprojects will be posted in a tarpaulin for information to the general public.
“We will not hide things, especially those that involve money matters so that the member-consumers who own Beneco will be properly apprised.”**
