VECO urges customers: Pay thru bayad centers

CEBU, Philippines - The Visayan Electric Company wants its customers to adopt other payment options through third-party collecting agents instead of going to its business centers.

 The executives of VECO are planning to scrap the latter scheme by 2017 and advised its 402,000 customers to settle their electric bills through their collecting partners.

Making customers aware of the new payment scheme, a caravan reaching three barangays in Cebu City was held on Monday morning to fully strengthen the utility firm’s information campaign.

 “As of June this year, only 27 percent of our customers don’t pay through our TPAs,” said Bailey del Castillo, VECO’s assistant vice president for customer services.

 The majority of its customers who were not updated were identified by VECO to have come from Barangays Mabolo, Hipodromo, and Carreta.

 “There is always a long line of payers in our offices especially during paydays. We want to eliminate this inconvenience for them,” he said.

 Lawyer Jill Verallo, Reputation Enhancement Department head, said that by 2017 the utility firm will no longer have payment centers.

 She said they were able to explain to their customers that they can now choose which TPA that is more convenient for them and that they accept green or red bill payments.

 With this, thirty-six VECO employees, majority from the Revenue Management Department, visited the identified areas and conducted house-to-house info drive, giving consumers the list of TPAs.

For bills payment, customers can opt for various TPAs where they can settle their accounts. VECO customers can go to the nearest Bayad Center, Cebuana Lhuillier, M Lhuillier, 2GO, ECPay, SM Hypermarket, SM Department Store, Savemore Market or SM Business Centers.

 Customers can also pay through banks like Banco de Oro (BDO), Bank of Commerce, RCBC and Union Bank or pay online through BancNet, Union Bank, and Metro Bank. Auto debit or credit arrangements can also be made through Citi Bank and Union Bank.

Del Castillo said that payments are posted on the same day and they don’t collect service fees. (FREEMAN)