Speaker bats for level playing field in energy sector

MANILA, Philippines - Expressing strong support for the country’s 20-year energy plan, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said the government’s efforts to level the playing field for the private sector are crucial to energy security.

“A level playing field would encourage the private sector to invest more in energy development to augment the limited resources of government to ensure countryside development,” Belmonte said.

He said the current efforts towards transparency in governance are earning the confidence of investors.

He said at the start of the Aquino government, the energy sector came out with its major guideposts and focus, including energy security; optimal energy pricing, and a sustainable energy plan.

To ensure energy security, the Department of Energy listed important programs that would have great impact in the next 20 years including acceleration of the exploration and utilization of oil, gas and coal resources; intensification of development and utilization of renewable and environment-friendly alternative energy resources/technologies; enhancement of energy efficiency and conservation; improvement of transmission and distribution systems; securing vital energy infrastructure and facilities; and, securing a competitive energy investment climate.

 Belmonte cited the matter of transmission and distribution systems, along with infrastructure and facilities, including the energy investment climate as part of the strategic role of electric cooperatives in rural electrification.

“Even as government is not leaving any stone unturned to prevent any power crisis especially in Mindanao, we must always look beyond the immediate and into the future,” the Speaker said.

Along this line, Belmonte cited the Congress-approved measure strengthening the National Electrification Administration, further amending Presidential Decree 269, as amended, or the “National Electrification Administration Decree” now under presidential review.

He gave due credit to the hard work of the authors and members of the energy panel that steered the bill through plenary.

The proposed statute “aims to strengthen the NEA to carry its mandate of total electrification of all puroks and barangays through the electric cooperatives,” he said.

The basic principles behind the amendatory statute include the following Promote the sustainable development in the rural areas through rural electrification; Empower and strengthen the NEA to pursue the electrification program and bring electricity, through the electric cooperatives as its implementing arm, to the countryside even in missionary or economically unviable areas; and Empower and enable electric cooperatives to cope with the changes brought about by the restructuring of the Electric Power Industry pursuant to Republic Act 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

Authors of the measure said the bill would ensure that NEA has adequate powers to protect the investments in the ECs and provide them with better options to ensure the continued delivery of adequate and reliable electric service.