Over half a million in unpaid power bills

SCIENCE HIGH

THE Visayan Electric Company (Veco) yesterday said the outstanding electric bill of the Cebu City National Science High School (CCNSHS) is over half a million pesos incurred during a five-month period.

Veco said the school has five accounts with them.

“The outstanding balance of these five accounts amount to a total of P544,249.69. Each account has an average of five months unpaid balance,” a statement from Veco read.

CCNSHS has until June 29, or eight days from today, to pay the balance of their electricity bill or face disconnection.

According to the power distributor, CCNSHS was unable to pay the balance despite signing a promissory note on Monday, June 18 to pay the bill within 24 hours or until Tuesday, June 19.

“Should the school still fail to pay their electric bill by then, Veco will then effect the disconnection of their electric service,” Veco said in their statement.

Officials from CCNSHS sought the help of the Cebu City Government last Tuesday afternoon to address their insufficient funds to cover their electricity bills, which runs to around P110,000 every month. What they said was that their balance only amounted to P369, 400 or three months of unpaid bills.

Veco said they would have the cut off the school’s electrical connection yesterday after its disconnection crew paid the school a visit last June 18, or two days prior, to warn them.

But Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young, Deputy Mayor on Education, said he requested Veco yesterday, Tuesday, June 19, to defer the disconnection so as not to disrupt the classes.

As of yesterday, classes in CCNSHS were still aided with electricity.

Veco advised the school to visit its service center “so they can enter into a pay plan scheme with us,” Veco’s statement read.

The situation of CCNSHS also prompted Young to call the attention of the Department of Education (DepEd – Cebu City) to investigate why several schools in Cebu City have incurred over P50,000 in electric consumption during the summer.

“And I also want to emphasize that this problem must be avoided in the future. In doing so, DepEd in Manila must come up with a better way of computing the budget,” he added.

CCNSHS has a population of at least 1,000 students, both in the junior and senior high departments.

PTA

Evelyn Pielago, CCNSHS principal, told reporters in a separate interview yesterday that they have also talked with officials from the DepEd – Cebu City Division to help them.

She and DepEd – Cebu City Division Assistant Superintendent Dr. Danilo Gudelosao held a closed-door meeting yesterday to discuss the looming disconnection notice of CCNSHS.

“We’ve discussed several possibilities on how to settle (the amount) in order not to disrupt the teaching and learning process. But we leave the decision to the DepEd – Cebu City Division to come up with such initiatives,” said Pielago

The school administration will tap the parents of the students to help teach power saving tips

“The students were already informed about it. But now, we also want to inform our parents so that they will be aware of the situation here. And maybe they may be able to also teach their children not to waste electricity,” Pielago said.