BATANGAS – THE Provincial Government of Batangas convened a committee hearing on February 27, 2026 to address concerns over the service performance of Batangas Electric Cooperative II (BATELEC II) and the delay in acting on a proposed joint venture with Meralco.
The hearing stemmed from a letter sent by the Batangas Forum for Good Governance and Development Association, Inc. to the office of Vice Governor Hermilando “Dodo” Mandanas.
In the letter, the group cited frequent power outages within the BATELEC II franchise area, saying these have caused significant economic losses to businesses and disrupted the daily lives of Batangueños.
The group also urged the provincial government to act on its resolution supporting the proposed partnership between BATELEC II and Meralco.
The public hearing was led by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Transportation, Communication and Public Utility chaired by 4th District Board Member Melvin Vidal, with 3 rd District Board Member Alfredo Corona as vice chairman.
In a letter submitted by Batangas Forum President Nelson Terrible, the group’s call for transparency, urging BATELEC II management to fully disclose the real state of its operations and outline concrete plans to improve service reliability was reiterated.
Forum member Rey Corona said the group supports the joint venture to ensure a more stable and predictable power supply that would help strengthen the province’s business climate.
It was disclosed during the hearing that Meralco submitted its joint venture proposal two (2) years ago. Meralco Senior Vice President Atty. Arnel Casanova, a Batangas resident , clarified that the proposal is not a takeover of BATELEC II. Instead, he said, it aims to strengthen the cooperative’s operations through significant investments in facilities and infrastructure.
Casanova noted that Meralco already operates in Sto. Tomas, Batangas City and San Pascual, which he described as among the most progressive local government units in the province due to the presence of ecozones and industries. He added that the proposed partnership seeks to replicate that level of development across the entire province.
In response, BATELEC II representative Engr. Mary Ann Dimaano said a technical working group is currently drafting the terms of reference for the proposed joint venture. She also disclosed that the cooperative has received proposals from three companies: Meralco, Aboitiz and Prime. According to Dimaano, the decision is not simple and management is carefully studying all proposals while considering the sentiments of member-consumer owners.
Casanova, for his part, expressed openness to whatever process BATELEC II may adopt, including competitive bidding, emphasizing that Meralco supports transparency.
Vice Governor Mandanas pressed BATELEC II on its long-term plans, particularly in light of its new franchise application. The current franchise is set to expire in 2030. Once renewed, the franchise would be granted by Congress and BATELEC II would no longer operate under the supervision of the National Electrification Administration.
Mandanas questioned whether the cooperative would be able to maintain the same level of service without government support once the franchise expires. While acknowledging that BATELEC II is the largest electric cooperative in the country, he stressed that there is always room for improvement in service efficiency. He also pointed out that among the interested parties, some may not yet have infrastructure readily available in the province at par with Meralco.
In a separate interview, 4th District Board Member Melvin Vidal echoed the call for improved service. He said the hearing could serve as a key step toward enhancing electricity services within the BATELEC II area. Vidal added that if a joint venture with Meralco pushes through, it would further prepare the province for its vision of becoming “Industrial Batangas” and enable it to attract and accommodate more businesses.
“At the end of the day, what matters is that the Batangueño people are the ones who benefit,” Vidal said, underscoring the purpose of the provincial government’s initiative.
About the Author
