By Minerva Newman CEBU CITY – The Visayan Electric Company (VECO) has informed its 422,800 customers to pay their bills via its close to 8,000 third party agent (TPA) partner-establishments in the country today. VECO AVP for customer service group Engr. Mark Kindica said we are constantly finding convenient ways for our customers to pay their bills anywhere in the country. “We have 7,820 TPA affiliates nationwide,” he added. Kindica said almost 98 percent of VECO customers are now paying their bills via out TPA that include Bayad Center, Cebuana Lhuillier, M Lhuillier, 2GO, ECPay, SM Hypermarket, SM Department Store, Savemore Market, and SM Business Services. Kindica added VECO bills can also be settled outside Cebu where these TPA partners have branches, be it in Manila or in Davao and many other locations across the country. Customers just need to make sure they know their account number and how much is due for the period covered, he said. "While we want to partner with more banks, as well as online payment methods, we are keen on looking for more partners for cash payments since more than 50 percent of our customers are unbanked,” Kindica explained. VECO is the country’s second largest electric distribution utility, owned and managed by the Aboitiz Power Corporation and Vivant Corporation serving the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay, and Naga as well as four municipalities in the greater part of Metro Cebu--Liloan, Consolacion, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.