After ten years, the Provincial Government will have a new representative in the seven man Board of Directors of Bohol Light Company, Inc. (BLCI) in the person of Atty. Inocentes Lopez.
Lopez together with Atty. David Tirol were nominated by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan thru Resolution No. 2015-196 sponsored by 3rd District Board Member Elpidio Jala and co-sponsored by Presiding Officer and Vice Governor Concepcion Lim during their regular session on April 17, 2015.
Lopez replaced Atty. Victor dela Serna who sat on the BLCI Board for ten years since the 2nd term of the late Governor and 2nd District Representative Atty. Erico Aumentado.
Dela Serna replaced Fr. Cirilo Darunday who originally sat as the first representative of the Provincial Government in the Board of Directors of BLCI.
In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, Lopez said that “my duty is to protect the 30% interest of the Provincial Government and more so the interest of more than 18,000 electric consumers in the franchise area of Bohol Light in Tagbilaran City”.
In his first board meeting on April 20, 2015 Lopez asked for the deferment of the signing of a proposed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the BLCI and Bohol Electric Cooperative (BOHECO) l and ll
The agreement consists of a sharing agreement among the three utilities in case of power shortfalls from Leyte to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the Boholanos.
The source coming from internally generated power generators – Bohol Diesel Plant, Ewon Sevilla Dam and Sta. Clara Hydro Power in Loboc shall be pro rated according to the needs of the distribution utilities.
According to Lopez there is a need to further study the proposal vis-a-vis the financial requirements of the MOA that would eventually affect consumers of Tagbilaran City.
As BLCI Board of Director, Lopez, aside from his one share of stock will also receive as Directors Fees Php170,000.00/year and Php30,000 per board meeting.
Lopez, as the Provincial Legal Counsel at that time was deeply involved in the crafting of the Joint Venture Agreement that transferred ownership and management of the water and power utilities of the Provincial Government to a consortium under Salcon Inc.
The agreement was assailed as a “sweetheart deal” by an Association of Concerned Tagbilaranons and is now awaiting a ruling from the Ombudsman to elevate the case to the Sandiganbayan.
Lopez who hails from Loon, Bohol earned his law degree in San Beda College in 1961 and passed the bar a year later.
The seven man Board of Directors of BLCI are Chairman Alfredo Henares, Dennis Villareal, Joven Uy, Ricardo Galano, Alberto Fenix, Jr. and representing the 30% interest of the the Provincial Government – David Tirol and Inocentes Lopez. (CMV)