Cooperative Profile

The Birth of PELCO II…

In the latter months of the year 1972, the Eastern Pampanga Electric Cooperative, Inc. (EPECO) was established to comply with the mandated Rural Electrification Program of the National Electrification Administration (NEA). The cooperative’s formal operations started in the month of April, year 1973. From six towns in the eastern part of Pampanga, its coverage area extended into 17 municipalities. Thus, the name was changed into Pampanga Electric Cooperative, Inc.

But as years of operations passed by, consumers were dissatisfied of the services offered by the Cooperative. It experienced frequent technical failures and unrelenting consumer complaints which were endorsed to NEA for further evaluation, thorough study, and proposals of countermeasures.

Therefore, during PELCO’s Annual General Membership Assembly on April 8, 1979, the members approved the splitting of the Cooperative into two (2): PELCO I, comprising the municipalities of Arayat, Candaba, San Luis, San Simon, Mexico, Magalang, Sto. Tomas, Minalin, Apalit, Macabebe, and Masantol; and PELCO II, the municipalities of Bacolor, Guagua, Sexmoan (now Sasmuan), Sta. Rita, Porac, and Mabalacat City.

PELCO II was then incorporated on April 23, 1979 and began its formal operations on May 26 of the same year, at its main office in Sta. Filomena, Guagua, Pampanga. From an area coverage of six (6) districts with a total of 28, 696 Member-Consumer-Owners, it took over Guagua Rural Electric Service (GRES) on July 1980 and the Lubao Municipal Electric System (LMES) on November 1981, resulting to an increase of its area coverage into seven (7) municipalities.

PELCO II – Overcoming all odds…

PELCO II is serving seven (7) municipalities namely Mabalacat (City), Guagua, Lubao, Porac, Sta. Rita, Sasmuan, and Bacolor and has also provides services to the resettlement areas in Sta. Lucia, Magalang; Model Community, Porac; Palmayo, Floridablanca; and Mawacat, Floridablanca, which were designed and funded by the national government as relocation of the victims of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in the 1990’s.

Come the early years of the new millennium, PELCO II was regrettably categorized by NEA as an ailing Cooperative. This meant that the Coop was not in good condition and had financial distress caused by its undeniable high system loss, poor collection efficiency, and other inherited problems in the span of 20 years. Several General Managers, CEO’s, experts, and even NEA-appointed Project Supervisors and Deputy Administrator attempted to manage the Coop in order to relieve it from liabilities and insufficiencies, but all efforts were unsuccessful in reviving the Coop from its downfall. Everyone was almost at the verge of giving up and surrendering but for the sake of the Member-Consumer-Owners, that was not and never will be an option.

However, with the provision of R.A. 10531, it provided options for the ailing cooperatives including PELCO II. Regardless of the criticisms and all of the negative remarks thrown at PELCO II, it continued its study on all alternative plans and executed thorough research on the options given, particularly the Investment Management Contract (IMC). After much deliberation, the Coop proceeded with the steps and underwent due process. In the end, it was established that Comstech Integration Alliance, Inc., with Meralco as its technical partner, complied with all the requirements and was duly approved as the qualified bidder.

On February 14, 2014 during the Annual General Membership Assembly, the IMC was thoroughly discussed and approved by the Member-Consumer-Owners present. All needed papers were drafted, signed, legalized, and submitted to concerned offices and on August 11, 2014, PELCO II has officially sealed its partnership with Comstech-Meralco.

PELCO II Today...

Today, PELCO II has been continuously striving hard towards the Cooperative’s progress. Likewise, areas inside the Coop’s coverage have been booming with residential, commercial, and industrial establishments. Both new and huge investors are putting up businesses and invest on developments within PELCO II’s coverage area.

To answer increasing demand, PELCO II has also enhanced its facilities. To date, it has six (6) substations with nine (9) Area Offices ensuring easier access and better customer service. It has also sworn on continuous upgrading, rehabilitation and maintenance of its equipment. The processes are also being revisited, studied, and revised every now and then to ensure that they cope with the fast-paced technological advancement and that each has a purpose that mainly benefits the Member-Consumer-Owners. PELCO II also spearheads consumer affairs and information/education activities which aim to empower and mobilize its members, thus opening endless opportunities for growth.

As it rises from its setback, PELCO II always remembers its cooperative social responsibilities. It has constantly participated in social events and gatherings, may it be charitable, environmental, or provision of assistance to fellow Cooperatives that are in need of support. It is committed in providing electric service to the remotest areas in its coverage. Furthermore, PELCO II persistently seeks ideas, promos and activities in order to recompense its MCOs for their continuous patronage.

With the relentless advancement of the electric power industry come several reforms of the law. PELCO II has always made it a point to comply with all requirements, to observe the rules, and to follow directions carried out by amendments in electric reform. It remains to have harmonious relationships with its industry partners and with various government agencies and local government units.

Proof of PELCO II’s hardwork through these years is its achievement of the AAA Category, as per NEA’s Overall Performance Assessment for the Year 2021. The AAA Category is the highest rating an electric cooperative can attain. This means that the EC was able to perform effectively and efficiently in terms of financial, technical, institutional and reportorial. PELCO II aims to sustain this achievement in the years ahead until it reaches its ultimate vision of becoming a Diamond-Rated EC.

It is truly undeniable that after all the struggles the Coop has been through, it remains to be resilient, believing that the key to a brighter future is the strong partnership with its Member-Consumer-Owners. PELCO II, as a cooperative, will always be one with its MCOs in achieving its goals, targeting collective development, aiming for excellence at all times.