PNA News: Kawit seals partnership with MERALCO

KAWIT, Cavite – The municipality of Kawit has forged a strategic partnership with the private power distribution utility Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) on Tuesday at the historical Aguinaldo Shrine audio-visual Room (AVR) here to ensure steady and reliable supply of electricity and expands the town’s development efforts. Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) were Kawit Mayor Angelo Emilio G. Aguinaldo and MERALCO Vice President and Head of Home and Micro Business in South Business Area Ferdinand O. Geluz. The parties agreed to work together on the locality’s Community Electrification Program; Disaster Awareness and Risk Reduction Program; Educational Facilities Improvement Program; Participation in and Promotion of Various Environmental Activities; Participation in the Annual Planning and Budget Preparation; Participation in Strategic Planning and such other projects or programs as may be mutually agreed by the signatories. As MERALCO collaborates these projects and programs with the Kawit government, the partnership also includes the consideration of the local government partner to expedite the issuance of permits subject to complete requirements required by law, timely settlement of electric bills and support Meralco in its information dissemination drive, especially on power interruption advisories in all available platforms. For its part, Kawit will provide a Customer Information Board at the municipal and barangay halls, and in the municipality’s social media account. Both parties also committed in the promotion of public safety and prevention of electric pilferage in the locality. Aguinaldo personally welcomed the possible gains of this partnership to help the locality’s expansion and growth of Kawit communities. The partnership, Aguinaldo said, will also enable the local government to respond to the challenges of being more responsive to urbanization and sustainable development. He expressed optimism the MOU will take “a step forward” to cover electric vehicle projects, prepaid electricity by Kawit communities, expansion of the street lighting program and other projects that may be mutually agreed upon by two parties. Witnessing the signing ceremony were Municipal Engineer Jonathan B. Jarin, local Tourism Officer Angelo Jarin Aguinaldo, Municipal Administrator Norberto VictaRayupa, and MERALCO's Gery Festin, head of the Dasmariǹas Sector; Juan Paolo Cruz, Manager of Rosario Business Center; and Atty. Leoponville Gitav of the Local Government Affairs Office. Kawit Sangguniang Bayan members also graced the agreement signing event, the sixth partnership undertaking in this town after MERALCO’s similar partnerships with the cities of Imus, Tagaytay, General Trias, Cavite City and the municipality of Naic. Meralco officials said they target to complete all MOU signing with all localities by 1st quarter of 2018. As next step, MERALCO will engage Kawit in a strategic planning session to know their future development plans. This will lead MERALCO to plan ahead of time its own expansion plans in order to live up to its mission “to provide its customers with the best value in energy, products and services” when needed. (PNA)