AGREEMENT. Engr. Godofredo B. Homez (in white shirt), Cotabato Electric Cooperative (COTELCO) general manager, and COTELCO director Alfonso Jack Sandique (4th from left) with several village chairpersons show the memorandum of agreement signed on Wednesday (Nov. 4, 2020) in Makilala, North Cotabato. The MOA introduces new payment schemes under the “COTELCO ng Barangay” program that includes the formation of community-based COTELCO bodies and online transactions amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of Makilala LGU)
MAKILALA, North Cotabato – The Cotabato Electric Cooperative (COTELCO) has ventured to shift from its old “over-the-counter” mode of payment to the more convenient “community-based and online schemes” for clients in the province starting this month.
Engr. Godofredo B. Homez, COTELCO general manager, said the initiative would reduce the number of consumers flocking to COTELCO collection offices to make payments.
“We came up with this program in the midst of the pandemic to avoid exposure of our clients to the virus,” Homez told reporters here Thursday.
On Wednesday, COTELCO and barangay chairmen from 10 villages of this town signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the creation of the National Center of Electric Cooperative Consumer or NCECCO-Barangay Chapter dubbed as "COTELCO ng Barangay."
Under the deal, the NCECCO will accept payments from power consumers within its area of jurisdiction and will be managed by sectoral representatives organized by COTELCO.
It aims to establish partnership and empower COTELCO’s members-consumers-owners (MCOs) through joint initiatives to offer convenience and introduce appropriate projects needed by the community.
The COTELCO ng Barangay has been set up in 10 and six villages of Makilala and Arakan towns, respectively, and is scheduled for implementation in other areas across the province soon.
Online payment
Another innovation was launched as COTELCO signed with a third party for its online payment through ECPay, which is available in Cliqq kiosk at any 7-Eleven convenience stores and 13 other ECPay authorized outlets in North Cotabato.
In addition, the Asia United Bank is also catering to payments in its online facility, over-the-counter, and through its “HelloMoney” mobile application.
The initiative is in line with the National Electrification Administration's order to broaden the power firms’ services in favor of the MCOs. (PNA)
