ERC: Capelco can charge to consumers their tax obligations
PANITAN, Capiz – Capiz Electric Cooperative, Inc (Capelco) can pass on to its consumers the taxes being charged by the municipality or city where it conducts business.
This was bared by Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Commissioner Jose Reyes during the public consultation on the rules for setting the electric cooperative wheeling rates.
Currently, the cooperative has paid some P56,605.25 representing real property taxes in Roxas City, and the city is also set to collect another P30 million in terms of franchise taxes, gross receipts taxes and other fees.
The cooperative also paid some P7,380,678.35 to Panitan town where the cooperative main office is located while President Roxas which has an assessment in the amount of P261,155.69 on taxes is set to be paid by the Capelco.
Reyes said that the ERC is going around to conduct a public hearing to 98 electric cooperatives nationwide to fix and suggest its power rate.
According to him, the electric cooperative will no longer file petition for rate increase and waited for a long period of time for ERC to approve its application for rate hike.
During the hearing held at the Capelco main office in Panitan, Capiz, Engr. Edgar Diaz, general manager of Capelco with several member-consumers agreed the P0.29 allowed by ERC as additional charges to end-users.
The said additional charges were computed from the expenditures of the cooperative from rehabilitation devastated by Typhoon Frank, Routainary capital projects, acquisition of 10.8 kms Panitan, Lawaan 69 KV, Subs transmission line, Roxas City-Ivisan 3 Phase lines slooping, Upgrade.rehab of Lawaan Substation and Bailan-Maayon 3 Phase upgrading lines.
Present during the hearing were Board of Directors Oscar Acolentaba, president; Engr. Obet Castro, Richard Gabor, Menong Bocboc, Atty. Margarita Oquendo, Capelco employees and many others.