According to Isla Dagyab Energy Corp., which has been awarded the 2nd EPSA, its nine (9) diesel gensets will arrive in Catanduanes on June 6, Saturday.
The “best effort” timeline states that installation, including grounding works, will be completed on June 10.
Testing and commissioning will commence the following day and be completed by June 14, Sunday.
If the schedule holds without any setbacks, commercial operations of the EPSA 2 power plant at the FICELCO compound in Marinawa, Bato will start the following Monday, June 15.
Consumers and the entire public wish the Vivant Corp. subsidiary will be true to its word and banish the rotational brownouts that have bedeviled everyone for the last two weeks and counting.
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Along with the preventive suspension of all elected members of the Board of Directors of the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO), the National Electrification Administration (NEA) has designated Atty. Jeho Edric F. Fajardo as Project Supervisor (PS) effective May 26, 2026 for a period of six (6) months.
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano C. Almeda said the designation is made in the exigency of the service and pursuant to Sections 4(e) and 5(a) of Presidential Decree 269 as amended by PD No. 1645 and Republic Act 10531.
His functions under the designation are as follows: supervise the management and operation of FICELCO; perform the functions of a regular board in the absence of a Board of Directors; sign/countersign checks, withdrawal slips, and other banking transactions for and on behalf of the EC with all banks where FICELCO has an account; and perform such other tasks/duties that may be assigned by the NEA for the purpose of operational efficiency.
All expenses to be incurred in the performance of his duties shall be charged against the proper funds of FICELCO, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations, the order stated.
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The deadline for the filing of a motion for reconsideration by the suspended vice governor and 11 members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan expired on June 2, 2026.
A lawyer familiar with the workings of the Ombudsman opined that it would be better for the suspended officials not to contest the decision of the graft investigation body as any MR at this time could worsen their standing down the road.
The Ombudsman’s finding of “strong evidence showing their guilt” is bad news.
The least the respondents could expect is a one-year suspension without pay, and that means they would still be out of office at the time of filing of candidacies for the 2028 national and local elections.
The worst is outright removal, which means their chances of winning will be considerably reduced.
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On the other hand, all seven directors of the FICELCO board have been served the suspension order from NEA, with Dir. Romeo Santos receiving his copy by electronic means since he is in the United States to accompany his ailing wife for treatment.
They cannot run to the Regional Trial Court to appeal against the NEA imposition.
Under Republic Act 10531 or the “National Electrification Administration Reform Act of 2013, “(no) injunction or temporary restraining order shall be issued against the implementation of any order, ruling or decision of the NEA, except by the Court of Appeals, and only upon the posting of a bond sufficient to cover the liabilities and expenditures arising during the pendency of the writ or injunction or temporary restraining order:.”
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On Tueday, June 2, 2026, this writer filed a complaint at the National Power Corporation website to file a complaint on the Governance Commission for GOCCs (GCG) Whistleblowing Web Portal, which issued a Whistleblowing ID for the adverse report.
Let’s see how it goes.
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THE DOCTOR AND THE PLUMBER. When the doctor rang the plumber to complain that the toilet cistern had developed a fault, the weary plumber reminded him that it was 2.30 in the morning.
“So what,” said the doctor. “I get called out at all hours. I have a problem that needs fixing, so what does the time of day or night have to do with it?”
Ten minutes later the plumber arrived on the doorstep and was shown to the bathroom. He lifted the lid of the toilet, threw in two aspirins and flushed it.“
“If it hasn’t improved by the morning, ring me again,” he said.