San Fabian’s interior barangays still without power
KAPITANS REFUSE TO PAY
SAN FABIAN—The dark nights in the interior barangays here could end if only the kapitans agree to simply assume the responsibility of paying for the electricity bill using public funds.
Municipal Administrator Ben Esquig, defending the decision of Mayor Irene Libunao to cut the subsidy for the power supply of streetlights that was previously being provided by the municipal government, said the barangays “have the money”.
Esquig stressed that the financial responsibility for streetlights already rests on barangays and that the leaders were informed of the subsidy cut as early as November last year.
“The municipality has long been subsidizing the electric consumption of barangay streetlights and it is about time that the barangays assume their responsibility,” Esquig said.
The Dagupan Electric Corporation (Decorp) disconnected the streetlights from electricity supply in compliance with a letter of Libunao in the early part of December advising it that the barangays are responsible for their respective power consumption.
Esquig clarified that those affected are just the interior towns as streetlights along the national highway are still being covered by the municipality in consideration of safety of motorists and pedestrians.
Decorp had sent notices to the affected barangays and had asked the chairmen to confirm the new billing arrangements before the disconnection was undertaken but none of the kapitans of the 34 barangays responded.
So far, some 400 streetlights have been disconnected.
Decorp said it will not reconnect electricity until it receives a formal letter from the barangay chairmen manifesting their willingness to pay for the electricity consumption.
Esquig said the municipality cannot continue with the subsidy due to the town’s anticipated reduced Internal Revenue Allotment this year.
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