82% pay hike for Benguet power co-op officials hit

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines  – Protests have mounted over the proposed 82 percent salary hike of managers of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) which services both Baguio City and Benguet province.

Even rank-and-file employees of Beneco and Baguio City councilors have also denounced the pay hike, which comes four years after the employee car plan controversy that hounded the electric cooperative.

Earlier, the National Association of Electric Consumers for Reform (Nasecore) lodged a protest, too, against the salary increase for Beneco managers.

Nasecore said the Beneco board recommended to the National Electrification Administration (NEA) board the 82 percent salary increase for the managers of its different departments.

Beneco has at least seven department managers who each currently receives a monthly pay of P55,000, which Nasecore said is already P20,000 higher than the salary grade 20 level of government workers.

Lawyer Delmar Carino, Beneco human relations manager, though said the proposed pay hike still needs the approval of the NEA.  

Former Beneco general manager Gerry Evangelista said members of the electric cooperative must take a look at how Beneco officials are spending money.  

Earlier, Beneco was criticized for purchasing a 1.2-hectare property for P128 million at the so-called millionaires’ row on South Drive, where it intended to built its headquarters.

City Councilor Fred Bagbagen accused Beneco and its board of directors of spending “with impunity and without fear of being questioned.”

“The board (of directors) treats Beneco coffers as if it is their own private funds,” Bagbagen said.

Beneco’s controversial purchase though was approved by the general assembly in the last quarter of 2010.