A consumer group is calling for the immediate review of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to lower power rates and further attract investments.
The United Filipino Consumers and Commuters (UFCC) said in a statement Congress can start by amending a provision that allows monopolies in electric utilities.
Rodolfo Javellana Jr., UFCC president, said high power rates is a major issue in a bid to attract more foreign or local investors.
“If that is the law, then we should revise or modify (EPIRA), instead of them (Congress) prioritizing amending the Constitution… We want the economy to improve, we want more foreign direct investments, then electricity must be made affordable so that there will be a lot of investments going in the country,” Javellana said.
Javellana said it is also important to look deeper into the practices of power distribution utilities and allegations of monopoly as the effects of adjusting power rates to reasonable levels would be felt immediately.
Earlier, the Department of Energy (DOE) also called on lawmakers to consider amending EPIRA to update policies that will strengthen the protection of consumers.
DOE is pushing for the clarification of the powers of Energy Regulatory Commission and the Philippine Competition Commission.
EPIRA was first enacted in 2001 which led to the privatization of most components of the power industry in the Philippines.
Since its effectivity, several calls for it to be repealed or be amended were made citing its failure to effectively pull down power rates in the country.
So far, no amendments and adjustments in the law have been successfully implemented since its original enactment. -Jed Macapagal
