The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has released its guiding principles for electric cooperative (EC) officials and employees, who are planning to pursue political careers in the 2025 National and Local Elections (NLE) as well as the first Bangsamoro parliamentary polls.

In a memorandum dated 19 September 2024, NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda reminded potential candidates of the rules prescribed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) pursuant to the provisions stated under Republic Act (RA) 10531 or the NEA Reform Act of 2013.

The memo explicitly stated that all EC officials and employees, who will file their Certificate of Candidacies (COC) for the May 12, 2025 NLE and the Parliamentary Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) shall be automatically “deemed resigned.”

Conversely, if the EC official or employee is running to represent a registered party-list group, the individual in question will not be considered on-leave or deemed resigned, provided he or she was duly nominated by the organization or the member-consumer-owners.

The guidelines were based on RA 10531 Section 26 (a), which stipulates the independence of EC Board of Directors and officers.

“To ensure the long-term business and economic viability of electric cooperatives, the management, operations and strategic planning of electric cooperatives shall, as much as practicable, be insulated from local politics,” the law stated.

The Philippines is gearing up for the midterm and BARMM parliamentary elections next year with the Comelec already in the thick of preparations. The poll body will start accepting COCs from candidates on October 1 to 8, 2024 for the 2025 NLE and November 4 to 9 for the BARMM parliament.###