THE House of Representatives has passed on third and final reading a bill that would extend the franchise of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) during Wednesday's plenary session.

House Bill 10483, authored by Baguio City Rep. Mark Go and Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap, was passed with 202 votes approving the bill and no votes against the bill.

The bill will allow Beneco to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power within Baguio City and the larger Benguet province for another 25 years.

The cooperative's current 50-year franchise under the National Electrification Administration to operate as a distribution utility is slated to end in 2028 after it was granted in March 1978.

Currently, Beneco serves Baguio City and all 13 towns of Benguet, providing power to 269 villages in the city and in the province.

In passing the bill, Go acknowledged the cooperative's commitment to serve the residents of Baguio and Benguet for 50 years and has sought to ensure uninterrupted service to its communities.

He also cited Beneco's performance as the top performing electric cooperative in the Cordillera Administrative Region, earning a 99 percent performance rating.

In 2019, Beneco had secured its International Standardization Organization (ISO) 9001:2015 certification in 2019, noting the highest quality standards in management and quality of service.

Go lauded Beneco for consistently providing the most affordable on-grid rate and has displayed performance in widening the reach of rural electrification efforts and creating sustainable development.

"The passage of this franchise ensuring Beneco's continued service is long overdue, and I am grateful and pleased that my colleagues at the House of Representatives understand the cooperative's impact in powering our rural communities and ensuring widespread electric coverage in our towns across Benguet and Baguio City," Go said.