The National Electrification Administration (NEA) is allegedly set to deny a surreptitious move of the board of directors of the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO) to defer anew the district elections scheduled this January 2026.
According to a reliable source, several unidentified board members met recently to discuss the possible deferment of the four district elections to replace the following representatives of member-consumer-owners: Dir. Romeo D. Santos in District I (Baras-Gigmoto), Dir. Rodulfo B. Vargas Sr. of District II (Bato), Dir. Alicia Arcilla of District III (San Andres), and Dir. Robert C. Aquino of District VII (Viga, Panganiban and Bagamanoc).
Those present at the meeting reportedly cited as basis for their request to reset the elections to June 2025 the “impassable roads” due to super typhoon Uwan as well as “budget constraints.”
It is not known whether the resolution passed by the unnamed directors was sent to NEA for appropriate action.
But a Manila-based power industry official indicated that the new deferment move would be denied and that the FICELCO district elections would proceed as scheduled.
The elections are set on Saturdays starting on Jan. 10 (District I), Jan. 17 (District VII), Jan. 24 (District II), and Jan. 31 (District III).
The deadline for the filing of certificate of candidacy is on Dec. 31, 2025 for District I, Jan. 7, 2026 for District VII, Jan. 14 for District II and Jan. 21 for District III.
Not affected by the elections are the posts of Directors Myrna SJ. Carilimdiliman of District V (Virac), Emma Bueno of District IV (San Miguel), and Arsenia G. Bernacer of District VI (Caramoran and Pandan).
The elections for the four districts were supposed to be held last July 2025 but the BOD then headed by President Rodulfo Vargas, sought their deferment “due to ongoing critical operational and financial challenges.”
It said that at the time that the cooperative was facing significant financial constraints due to recent orders issued by the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) imposed “substantial and unforeseen monetary obligations” which forced FICELCO to realign projects and reduce expenditures.
On June 30, 2025, NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano C. Almeda informed that the NEA approved the elections’ deferment considering the present challenges of the FICELCO in its power supply, which resulted to the electric cooperative entering into an emergency power supply agreement.
Almeda clarified that directors elected this coming January shall immediately assume office upon taking their oath and shall serve only the remaining portion of the current three-year term which is until the regular schedule of the Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) usually held every September. This means whoever wins in the January elections will serve for only eight months.
It may be recalled that during the 2024 AGMA, consumers group representatives filed a resolution asking the entire board of directors to resign and their replacement with qualified member-consumer-owners although the move was not adopted.