New ERC chief vows to cut case backlogs

Manila Standard Today
By Alena Mae S. Flores | Aug. 21, 2015 at 10:40pm

Newly-installed Energy Regulatory Commission chairman Jose Vicente Salazar has committed to expedite the processing of unresolved cases at the agency.

Salazar said the commission decided as many as 15 cases in a day last week, reflecting the agency’s efforts to rid the agency of pending backlog of cases.

“While there are priority cases, all undecided cases for many years now are also going to be in our priority list,” Salazar said.

The official said ERC had pending cases because of its lean work force. Salazar said one of his focus as the new ERC chairman was to increase the number of employees and raise their salaries.

“We are lobbying with DBM [Department of Budget and Management] to provide us with additional plantilla of personnel so that we can also address the policies of the DoE [Department of Energy],” he said.

Salazar said aside from the plan to raise ERC employees’ salaries by 25 percent, the agency was looking at providing transport service and additional health benefits.

Salazar also vowed to “fairly and impartially” decide on the pending anti-competitive behavior case filed by the agency’s investigating unit against 12 companies.

ERC’s investigating unit earlier filed complaints against 12 companies for anti-competitive or market behavior that led to the price spikes during the Malampaya maintenance shutdown in November to December 2013.

The cases, filed in June this year, was the result of the report of the investigating unit that was completed after more than a year.

The companies cited were Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (for Malaya and Casecnan plants), Therma Mobile Inc., Manila Electric Co., 1590 Energy, CIP II Power Corp., Trans-Asia Power Generation Corp., AP Renewables Inc., Udenna Management Resources Corp., Strategic Power Development, GN Power Mariveles and SEM-Calaca Power Corp.

“I’ve always been known to be not just impartial but fair. Even in my old job…I will consider all the arguments and then I will set aside all biases so that I can give a fair decision on the matter,” Salazar said.

“Of course, you have to remember that I am the chair but I have four other commissioners with me. I only have one vote out of the five. What I can assure you is that personally, I will study this thoroughly and will go through due process. I can assure you would be fair and that my decision will be fair,” he said.

Salazar, a lawyer, had served as Justice undersecretary before being appointed to ERC.

Salazar joined the five-man commission composed of commissioners Alfredo Non, Gloria Victoria Yap-Taruc, Josefina Patricia Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana. source