BATANGAS — The ongoing controversy over a proposed partnership involving a South
Cotabato electric cooperative has brought renewed attention to the need for a clear and
transparent process in selecting private sector partners, a matter that remains pending at
Batangas II Electric Cooperative (BATELEC II).
The Office of the Ombudsman recently directed National Electrification Administration (NEA)
Administrator Antonio Mariano C. Almeda and six other agency officials to respond to
complaints filed over the proposed joint venture between South Cotabato II Electric
Cooperative (SOCOTECO II) and Ignite Power and Energy Holdings Inc.
The proposed agreement has encountered opposition from consumers and prompted
questions about how the deal was evaluated and approved. The developments have also
placed greater focus on the role of transparency and accountability when electric
cooperatives consider partnerships with private companies.
In Batangas, Meralco has been proposing a joint venture with BATELEC II as a way to
strengthen the cooperative’s power distribution system. The proposed partnership is
intended to support infrastructure modernization, improve service reliability, and address
system losses.
However, the cooperative has yet to move toward a formal selection process. As of August
2026, the BATELEC II Board had not approved the implementation of a Competitive
Selection Process (CSP), with management still assessing whether to proceed with it.
A CSP would allow qualified companies to submit proposals for evaluation under established
criteria, giving the cooperative a formal basis for comparing potential partners. It is also a way to ensure that the selection is conducted through a fair and open process rather than
relying solely on preliminary discussions.
With the process still under consideration, the timeline for BATELEC II to formally evaluate
potential partners remains uncertain.
The situation involving SOCOTECO II underscores why the terms, evaluation, and approval
of electric cooperative partnerships must be clearly established and communicated.
Consumers and other stakeholders need to understand how proposals are assessed and
how their interests will be protected throughout the process.
For BATELEC II, moving forward with concrete steps toward a transparent and competitive
selection process could help address these concerns while providing a clearer direction for
its proposed partnership. It could also create opportunities for investments aimed at
improving electricity services across Batangas, with consumer welfare remaining a central
consideration.
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