YES to ZAMSURECO II Transparency Brings Member-Consumer Concerns Before Ipil SB

Daphne Santuyo

Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay — A group of concerned member-consumers and citizens of Ipil formally brought their concerns over the operations and billing practices of the Zamboanga del Sur Electric Cooperative II (ZAMSURECO II) before the Sangguniang Bayan of Ipil during its regular session this morning.

The group, organized under the banner “YES to ZAMSURECO II Transparency,” appeared before the local legislative body during the Visitors’ Hour, where they presented their Position Paper and Manifesto outlining the issues and concerns they want addressed by the electric cooperative.

The appearance before the Sangguniang Bayan marked an important step for the newly organized movement, which seeks greater transparency, accountability, and responsiveness from ZAMSURECO II, particularly on matters directly affecting its member-consumers.

Among those present to represent the group were its interim officers led by Chairman Roseller Briones, Secretary Daphne Santuyo, Treasurer Jose Tiu, and Legal Counsel Atty. Victor Dennis Gemarino. Also present were George and Ofelia Thompson, Armida Perater-Agusa, Thata Manlapaz and several other supporters and concerned member-consumers.

The group said its initiative was born out of the growing concerns of consumers regarding various aspects of the cooperative's operations, with electricity billing emerging as one of the major issues raised by members.

ZAMSURECO II representatives were likewise present during the session after being invited by the Sangguniang Bayan to respond to the concerns raised by member-consumers and provide explanations regarding the cooperative's billing practices and other matters brought before the body.

The presence of both the concerned member-consumers and ZAMSURECO II representatives provided an opportunity for an initial face-to-face dialogue, allowing questions to be raised and the cooperative to respond to issues presented by its consumers.

For the members of YES to ZAMSURECO II Transparency, however, the session was not intended merely to raise complaints. Rather, they emphasized the importance of opening a continuing dialogue where concerns can be properly documented, explanations can be sought, and appropriate solutions can be explored.

The group hopes that the initial discussion at the Sangguniang Bayan will pave the way for further consultations and concrete actions addressing the concerns of ZAMSURECO II member-consumers.

The movement maintains that transparency and accountability are essential in ensuring that consumers understand how their electricity bills are determined and how the cooperative is being managed.

The Sangguniang Bayan session thus became an initial venue for bringing together the different sides of the issue — concerned member-consumers, their representatives, and ZAMSURECO II officials — with the common objective of finding answers and workable solutions.

The newly organized YES to ZAMSURECO II Transparency movement said it is hopeful that the dialogue will eventually lead to a resolution that is fair, transparent, and ultimately beneficial to the thousands of member-consumers served by the cooperative.

For the group, the effort is not simply about questioning the cooperative, but about ensuring that the voice of the member-consumer is heard, concerns are addressed, and transparency remains at the heart of ZAMSURECO II’s service to the community.