The Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) has called on the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to review its electric cooperative performance evaluation system, arguing that the current framework fails to reflect the actual service consumers experience in their communities.
The appeal follows the release of NEA's 2025 Overall Performance Assessment, which classified 91 electric cooperatives as AAA and recognized several for improved ratings. Despite these high marks, many cooperatives continue to face complaints about prolonged brownouts, unreliable service, high system losses, slow power restoration during calamities, and expensive electricity rates.
Disconnect Between Ratings and Reality
Consumers are increasingly confused by the disconnect between NEA ratings and their daily experience. In several franchise areas, recurring service issues persist despite cooperatives receiving AAA, AA, Green, or Compliant classifications. PARE noted specific cases: PALECO was upgraded from AA to AAA, MOELCI I improved from A to AA, and BATELEC II and FICELCO maintained AAA ratings. Yet consumers in these areas report ongoing problems with reliability, affordability, and performance.
“Consumers are not interested in whether their cooperative is AAA on paper. They want to know why they still face brownouts, high system losses, unreliable service, and rising costs. The ultimate measure of performance should be the actual experience of consumers, not a rating in a report,” said Nic Satur Jr., Chief Advocate Officer of PARE.
Evaluation Focus and Credibility Gap
PARE explained that NEA’s evaluation system focuses on financial, operational, technical, and institutional compliance. While these indicators are important, consumers question whether the framework captures the realities faced by households, businesses, farmers, and communities that depend on electricity every day.
The group stressed that a cooperative may perform well in compliance metrics while consumers continue to suffer from poor service. This credibility gap risks undermining public confidence in the evaluation system.
“In some communities, consumers even joke that AAA no longer means excellent performance. In PALECO, frustrated consumer Tony Cabrestante mockingly called it ‘Araw Araw Ara Kuryente’ because of recurring interruptions. The remark may be humorous, but it reflects deeper frustration,” Satur added.
Proposed Reforms
PARE urged NEA to strengthen its assessment system by incorporating direct consumer feedback. Future evaluations, the group said, should include satisfaction ratings, complaint resolution, restoration time during calamities, AGMA compliance, transparency measures, and other indicators that reflect consumer experience.
NEA’s mandate extends beyond evaluation. As the agency tasked with assisting cooperatives, it must ensure that technical support, financial aid, and regulatory interventions translate into real improvements in service quality and consumer welfare.
“The question consumers ask is simple: If a cooperative receives a high rating, why are they still experiencing prolonged brownouts, unreliable service, and expensive rates? Until that is answered, the evaluation system will remain in doubt,” Satur said.
PARE concluded that cooperative performance should be judged not only by compliance reports but by the affordability, reliability, and responsiveness of service delivered to consumers.
“Consumers deserve a rating system that reflects reality, not just paperwork,” the group said.
