Conceived as an alternative financing source and service provider for the Philippine Electric Cooperatives (ECs) in the midst of a restructured and reformed electric power industry under the EPIRA Law (R.A. 9136), the Rural Electrification Financing Corporation (REFC) was created in 2000 through a Memorandum of Agreement between NEA, PHILRECA, and NRECA and the collaborative effort of pioneering EC leaders with various local and foreign institutions such as USAID and IFC. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) granted REFC a Certificate of Authority and a Certificate of Incorporation in August 2001.
Since its inception in 2000, REFC has steadily grown from its initial authorized capital of PHP 200 million with 30 EC investors to its recently approved authorized capital of PHP 1.5 billion with 113 investors and is still growing. REFC’s core function is to provide supplemental loans to its member ECs at the lowest possible lending rate in order for them to achieve their goals of providing service that is adequate, dependable, and of high quality. It also allows them to leverage their equity capital for loans. In return, it can generate additional revenue and provide better service to its member consumers.
In the course of its business, it was realized that the member ECs needed other related support services as well to further their operation in addition to their financing needs. Responding to their clamor, the REFC established a wholly-owned subsidiary, the Rural Electrification Trading Corporation (RETC). RETC was envisioned with the strategic business objective of expanding loan packages to its members-ECs through the provision of technology-driven and cost-effective materials, equipment, consulting, and other services with financing support from REFC. The trading subsidiary facilitates the acquisition of specialized commodities and the provision of high-quality products and technical services that the ECs need, ensuring prices that are competitive in the market.
By providing the Philippine ECs with an assured source of funds and aiming to become their preferred service provider, REFC and RETC commit together to help ECs attain progress. Both companies continue to be sensitive to the financial and related needs of their investor-ECs. These projects have developed practitioners to become sought-after experts in the rural electrification sector with priceless expertise, whether it be in management, technical, financial, or institutional concerns.