Danessa Rivera (The Philippine Star)
- May 11, 2018 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Energy
Regulatory Commission (ERC) has cited improvements in the disposition of cases
and issues in the first four months of the year despite the suspension of its
four commissioners.
During the period, ERC issued four
policies that would reduce the retail rate of electricity at the distribution
utility level, upgrade the standards for distribution management, and protect
consumer welfare.
These include the Rules on System
Loss Cap for Distribution Utilities and the Performance Incentive Scheme;
Resolution Adopting the Amendments to the Rules for the Distribution for Net
Settlement Surplus (NSS); Resolution Approving the Philippine Distribution Code
2017 Edition; and Rules Supplementing the Switching and Billing Process and
Adopting a Disconnection Policy for Contestable Customers.
The ERC also approved 16 power
supply agreements, seven capital expenditure (capex) applications totalling
P1.15 billion, and 25 decisions and show cause orders as part of its ongoing
zero-backlog project.
The commission developed an online
platform, with the assistance of World Bank to streamline and digitize the
eight work processes in the ERC, including the filing of applications.
The agency also improved its
organizational structure and system with the revamp of the department in charge
of the hiring of personnel.
To fill vacant positions, the ERC
teamed up with JobStreet Philippines to expedite the filling up of the 152
plantilla positions (technical and legal manpower complement).
An ERC disciplinary and
investigating committee was also created which will be responsible for the
conduct of formal investigation on disciplinary administrative cases against
ERC employees.
Last December, the Office of the
Ombudsman ordered for the suspension ERC commissioners Alfredo Non, Gloria
Yap-Taruc, Josefina Patricia Magpale-Asirit and Geronimo Sta. Ana for one year
without pay for delaying the conduct of competitive bidding in securing PSAs.
The competitive selection process
(CSP) policy—which requires DUs and ECs to undertake competitive bidding to
secure PSAs with generation companies—was supposed to start on Nov. 7, 2015 but
implementation was moved to April 30, 2016 to give power players a transition
period to comply.
According to the ombusdman, the
delay in implementation negated the policies contained under the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) and CSP resolutions to protect the
interests of consumers.
In February, the four commissioners
were reinstated after the agency received the Court of Appeals’ (CA) issuance
of a 60-day temporary restraining order (TRO) on the suspension of the ERC
commissioners.
The CA granted the petition of
ERC commissioners for a preliminary injunction in April.
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