SAN JOSE, Antique – The Antique Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ANTECO) has refuted circulating social media posts claiming it has the highest electricity rate in Western Visayas this May at P13.87 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), branding the information as “fake news.”
General Manager Niel Veñegas clarified that ANTECO’s actual residential rate for May 2025 is P12.82/kWh — P1.06 lower than what was attributed to the cooperative online.
“Our actual rate this May is P12.82/kWh, not P13.87/kWh as posted. That’s a discrepancy of almost one peso,” Veñegas said in an interview with Buenavista Cable TV, Inc. on May 27.
According to Veñegas, the reduction in ANTECO’s electricity rate this month was largely due to the decline in generation charges, transmission fees, and system loss costs. He cited falling market prices, lower fuel costs, and decreased coal prices from power suppliers as contributing factors.
“The decrease in generation charges from our contracted suppliers, alongside the drop in fuel and coal prices, significantly brought down our residential rate,” he explained.
Veñegas urged the public, especially media practitioners and social media users, to verify the accuracy of information before posting or sharing online, warning that unverified data creates unnecessary panic among consumers.
“This unvalidated post caused alarm among our members-consumers, thinking we had the most expensive rate. We ask everyone to fact-check before posting. Otherwise, we’re just spreading false information,” he said.
ANTECO currently serves around 120,000 residential and commercial member-consumers in Antique.
The erroneous material circulating online also included a comparative list of power rates among distribution utilities in Western Visayas and Negros Island, claiming the following May 26, 2025 rates:
* MORE Power – P11.13/kWh
* ILECO I – P12.53/kWh
* ILECO II – P12.25/kWh
* ILECO III – P11.27/kWh
* CAPELCO – P12.78/kWh
* AKELCO – P12.74/kWh
* ANTECO – P13.87/kWh (disputed)
* GUIMELCO – P12.69/kWh
* NEGROS POWER – P11.69/kWh
* NOCECO – P12.02/kWh
* NONECO – P13.28/kWh
Veñegas reiterated that ANTECO remains open to responding to any consumer inquiries and providing clarifications regarding their billing and power rates./PN
