By: Mimi M. Ramos
For 38 years, I have lived in the Province of Agusan del Sur, and for the past 7 years, I have served as part of the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative (ASELCO), Inc. This dual perspective, first as an ordinary member-consumer and later as an employee, has given me a deeper and more honest understanding of what an electric cooperative truly represents. What I once saw as a simple service provider, I now recognize as an institution that quietly carries the weight of community development, public service, and shared responsibility.
Before joining ASELCO, I reacted the way many consumers naturally do. When power interruptions occurred, frustration came easily. Brownouts were immediately associated with inconvenience, and the cooperative was often blamed without question. At that time, I did not understand the many factors involved weather disturbances, system limitations, aging infrastructure, right-of-way issues, or the realities of operating in a geographically challenging province like Agusan del Sur.
Working inside the cooperative changed that perspective.
I learned that providing electricity to 13 municipalities and one city is not a simple or uniform task. Each area has unique conditions urban centers, agricultural plains, upland communities, remote sitios, and disaster-prone zones. Extending power to these areas requires careful planning, large investments, coordination with government agencies and local communities, and strict adherence to safety standards. Every pole erected and every line energized represents months, sometimes years, of preparation and effort.
More importantly, I came to understand that ASELCO’s goal is not merely to energize households, whether through the main grid or off-grid solar systems. The cooperative exists to enable long-term and inclusive development. Electricity allows children to study, health centers to function properly, farmers to improve productivity, and small businesses to grow. In many communities, power is the difference between stagnation and progress.
Another reality that member-consumer-owners seldom see is the human cost of restoring and maintaining electric service. Our linemen and field personnel work under conditions that are often dangerous and exhausting. During typhoons, floods, and other calamities, they leave their families behind to respond to outages. They climb damaged poles, cross flooded areas, and work long hours sometimes without rest so that power can be restored as quickly and safely as possible
These are sacrifices made not for recognition, but out of commitment to service.
It is also important for member-consumer-owners to understand that ASELCO is not a private, profit-driven company. It is a cooperative owned by the very people it serves. This means that decisions are guided not by maximizing profit, but by balancing affordability, system reliability, safety, and sustainability.
Resources are limited, and every peso spent must be accounted for, prioritized, and used responsibly for the benefit of the majority.
Going “beyond wires and poles,” therefore, means recognizing the cooperative as a shared responsibility. Reliable electricity is not produced by infrastructure alone, but by cooperation between management, employees, local government units, and member-consumers. Understanding, patience, and active participation from member-owners strengthen the cooperative and allow it to serve better.
Today, when a power interruption happens, my reaction is no longer anger, but understanding. I know that behind every outage is a team working to resolve it, and behind every restored line is a story of effort and sacrifice. ASELCO does not simply deliver electricity; it delivers service rooted in community, solidarity, and long-term development.
As a lifelong resident of Agusan del Sur and a proud ASELCO employee, I believe that our cooperative’s true success is not measured solely by kilowatt-hours delivered, but by lives improved and communities empowered. Beyond wires and poles, ASELCO continues to light not only our homes, but the future of our province, together with its member-consumer-owners.
