NAGA CITY - Even before they have thought of coming up with a brighter idea of disbursing P300,000 as advocacy fund in support of the APEC partylist campaign in the run-up to the May 14 elections appropriating an average of P20,000 for each of them, the Board of Directors of the beleaguered Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II) as early as April 17, 2007 had already caused the approval of a supplemental budget that entitles each Board member and the OIC General Manager to a so-called “mobility allowance” in the total amount of P110,000 each month.

        The allocation of P110,000 ‘mobility allowance’, or P10,000 for each of the member of the Board and the OIC General Manager was provided for with the approval of the coop’s supplemental budget for 2007 cash operating budget.

        Resolution No. 2007-53 dated April 17, 2007, a copy of which was obtained by Bicol Mail at press time in effect sought for the implementation of Resolution No. 2007-50 earlier passed by the Board last March 31, this year. The latter resolution was entitled “Board approval on the charging of P10,000 mobility allowance to the General Fund”.

        The Board has ten members, with OIC General Manager Rodelo Pasumbal as the eleventh ex-oficio member, which explains the total appropriation of P110,000, presumably for each month.

        Resolution No. 2007-53 which was unanimously approved by the Board was submitted into motion by coop Board Director Ramon C. Borja and seconded by Joseph L. Abante, four days after the National Electrification Administration (NEA) issued an institutional advisory that reminded electric coops (ECs) to observe prudence in disbursing non-power costs. The other members of the Board are Rodolfo Buenafe, Benito Manzano, Alden Bonot, Augsuto Pacis, Romeo Ofemia, Francis Soler, and Hilario Basmayor.

        Correctness of the Board resolution was attested to by Rene Rañeses, coop Board president.

        Ironically, the institutional advisory directed electric cooperatives all over the country to strictly comply with the Energy Regulatory Commission’s “standards for non-power costs”.