The Misamis Occidentla Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MOELCI I) was organized and incorporated on August 18, 1972 with an area coverage of five municipalities, namely; Lopez Jaena, Plaridel, Calamba, Baliangao and Sapang Dalaga, all in Misamis Occidental.  Each district was represented by one incorporator to compose the interim Board of Directors who elected the officers among themselves, to wit: Board President - Engr. Jaime M. Ordiz (Calamba District); Vice-President - Mr. Cosme O. Aca-ac (Lopez Jaena District); Secretary - Mr. Claro Mirayo (Sapang Dalaga District); Treasurer - Mr. Dionesio H. Pepito, Sr. (Plaridel District); and Mr. Roque L. Su, Member (Baliangao District).

After some discussion during the Board meeting, the incorporators approved and adopted the co-op By-Laws and the Articles of Incorporation on the date aforementioned.  Having been briefed on the “Loan Feasibility and Engineering Study” by NRECA-USAID Consultant Engr. Charlie Ham and two NEA Staff Members: Mr. George Atencio and Mr. Isagani Rabino, the MOELCI Board of Directors applied for a loan with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) per provisions of RA 6038 in the amount of NINE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR THOUSAND AND FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (P 9,774,500.00) to finance the construction and operation of the electric system, authorizing the president of the board to sign the loan application and al other related matters in behalf of the co-op.  The loan was approved on September 19, 1972 payable in 35 years at 3% per annum.

The organization of MOELCI – I was made successful through the financial and institutional aid from the NEA and NRECA/AUSAID with the guidance of the Provincial Electric Cooperative Team (PECT); Messrs. Rufino G. Seril, Ceferino Bello and Hernani Apao.

The Board of Directors, feeling the need to hire immediately a qualified general manager before the Architectural and Engineering (A&E) Services was to start, advertised the filling of the said position.  The NEA Preliminary Selection Team (PST) processed the papers of the application and submitted the names of the nine qualified candidates to the Selection Committee.  Through rigid evaluation of the qualifications of the applicants and after a secret balloting by the Board of Directors, Mr. Alejandro S. Bao-as was selected under six months probationary period.

A compact track of land of not less than five (5) hectares was needed by the co-op for it’s headquarter facilities.  After a meticulous survey of possible sites within the area coverage, fate willed that a five hectare land at Magcamiguing, Calamba, Misamis Occidental would be secured by way of donation through the philanthropic gesture of Mr. & Mrs. Francisco Iman.  The signing of the deed of donation in MOELCI – I took place on April 1, 1973.

While the headquarter facilities were under construction, the MOELCI – I management rented a temporary office at Coca building, Calamba, Misamis Occidental.  A temporary garage/warehouse was built near the co-op site for its heavy equipment and machineries.  When the co-op administration building was completed, the management and staff move over their new site.

The Adrian Wilson International Associates, Inc. (AWIA), who negotiated to undertake the architectural and engineering services, started staking the area coverage of five municipalities sometime in May, 1973.

In the meantime, preparations for the actual electrification of the area with the screening of applicants for the linemen training course at Cagayan De Oro City September 1 – 28, 1973 and the barangay electrician’s course for a duration of one week starting December 3, 1973, at Calamba Central School.

Due to the persistent request of the inhabitants of Oroquieta City and the Municipality of Aloran, a resolution was passed by the NEA Board of Administrators dated January 10, 1974 approving the inclusion and incorporation of the two districts with MOELCI – I.  These two districts were integrated in the Architectural and Engineering contract in November 1976.

Meanwhile a skeleton force of the needed co-op personnel under the pre-construction phase was installed with the filling of positions according to the staffing pattern.  This original force guided the course of the cooperative during the inception period.  Our efforts towards the electrification of our dark and bleak area went on to a slow grind.  We had to follow NEA’s procedures and pattern under what is known as PERT.

Bidding for the construction of the cooperative’s headquarter facilities was advertised on June 2, 1975 and was awarded and signed in favor of V.P. Mancao Construction Company in the NEA office, Quezon City on December 9, 1975 and was programmed for Completion October 1976 at the whooping cost of TWO MILLION FORTY THOUSAND PESOS (P 2,040,000.00).  The blessing of the finished buildings was duly observed prior to occupancy on September 26, 1976.  Final turn-over took place on October 17, 1976.  Inaugural rites for the completed headquarter facilities were conducted on October 25, 1976.

Pending the completion of the construction/installation of the 69KV transmission lines for MOELCI – I, partial energization of the area coverage was auspiciously started on June 24, 1978.  The first to see the “light” was Aloran, with power tapped from the MOELCI – II lines coming from its sub-station at Bañadero, Ozamis City.  On August 1, 1978 Lopez Jaena was lighted; followed by Plaridel on the 16th; and Calamba on the 30th of the same month.  As a birthday present to his Excellency Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sapang Dalaga was energized on September 11, 1978.  And then on October 24, 1978, Baliangao was lighted.  The red-letter day for the cooperative came with the symbolic Energization and inaugural ceremonies of the system on October 5, 1978.

Construction of the distribution and lateral lines went on in full swing with material support from NEA.  There remained one problem – the extension of the lines to the remote town of Concepcion, the last section in the backbone system of the cooperative.  True to our commitment to Gen. Pedro G. Dumol, NEA Administrator, this last town was at last energized on December 6, 1981.  The backbone system was at last completed.

Due to the desire of the board of Directors and the management of MOELCI – I, to hasten the construction of the 69KV transmission lines to serve the cooperative, arrangements were made.  With NEA for the construction of the said lines at the expense and accounts of the cooperative.  The project therefore was advertised for biding.  This was later awarded to the ZATU’s General Construction based in Zamboanga City.  Construction started on November 14, 1977, from te NPC sub-station at Bañadero, Ozamis city to the MOELCI – I, Sub-station Villaflor, Oroquieta city and down to its Sub-station at Bunawan, Calamba, Misamis Occidental.  Be it known by our member/consumers that the Board unanimously and cordially express its thanks and gratitude to Ex-Governor Henry Y. Regalado and member of the Provincial Board, Ex-Congressman William Chiongbian and the Municipal Officials of the Municipalities of Sapang Dalaga, Baliangao, Calamba, Plaridel and Lopez Jaena, and Member of the Provincial Electric Cooperative TEAM (PECT), Messrs. Rufino G. Seril, Ceferino Bello and Hernani Apao, for their continued support, guidance and aspiration so that the Cooperative which was started during their administration would progress and succeed in the service now and in the years hereafter.

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