Cusi apologizes for blackouts caused by power deficit
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 3) The Energy chief apologized on Thursday for power outages in Luzon as supply fell short of demand. I apologize for the last two days na nagkaroon ng [when] brownouts [happened], Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said during a Palace briefing, adding that the grid was short by 2,017 megawatts even as the situation was compounded by the heat that raised consumer demand.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) initially placed the Luzon grid on red alert Monday afternoon and announced longer red alert hours on Tuesday. A red alert means power supply is short of projected demand.
Published May 24, 2021, 2:40 PM
The House Committee on Energy on Monday, May 24 approved a bill that would give the Joint Congressional Energy Commission (JCEC) a permanent status, removing in the process its expiration as a body exercising oversight functions on the energy sector.
In a committee hearing alternately presided over by Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (Philreca) Partylist Rep. Presley de Jesus, and Pampanga 1st District Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, the House panel unanimously approved House Bill 9132 or the JCEC Expiration Act.
The House panel also unanimously adopted the amendments to the measure sought by Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) Partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc who proposed that the PCEC be granted the power of oversight on the implementation of all laws relating to the energy sector, except the Biofuels Act of 2006 Among the laws identified by Dagooc were Republic Act No. 8479 or the Downstream Oil Deregulation Act of 1998
More House solons call for termination of EO reducing pork import tariffs
Published April 19, 2021 11:30am Twenty-two lawmakers from the House of Representative expressed support over the joint resolution seeking for the termination of President Rodrigo Duterte s Executive Order No. 128, which reduces the tariff rate for pork imports. Representatives Michael Gorriceta, Ria Christina Fariñas, Leo Rafael Cueva, Onyx Crisologo, Evelina Escudero, Pablo Ortega, Godofredo Guya, Sergio Dagooc, Presley De Jesus, Adriano Ebcas, Len Alonte, Joseph Bernos, Luis Ferrer, Estrellita Suansing, Horacio Suansing, Raymond Mendoza, Greg Gasataya, Alex Advincula, Vilma Santos-Recto, Ed Christopher Go, Diego Ty, and Allan Ty became co-authors of the joint resolution.
With 208 affirmative and zero negative votes, House Bill 8145 was approved on third and final reading.
Endorsed by the House Committee on Energy for immediate plenary approval, HB 8145 will amend Section 73 of Republic Act No. 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act.
Section 73 provides for social pricing mechanism called the lifeline rate for the benefit of marginalized electricity end users for ten years since RA 9136 was enacted in 2001.
Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, chairman of the energy panel, said the most recent amendment to RA 9136 puts an end to the lifeline rate this year.
HB 8145 consolidated four bills filed separately by six congressmen. The authors include Reps. Wesley Gatchalian (NPC, Valenzuela City); Godofredo Guya (RECOBODA Partylist); Presley de Jesus (Philreca); Adriano Ebcas (Ako Padayon Pilipino); Joy Tambunting (PDP-Laban, Paranaque City) and Sergio Dagooc (APEC Partylist)
Published January 9, 2021, 11:21 AM
The “power bloc” of the House of Representatives has sought the passage of a bill seeking to grant tax exemption on real property taxes imposed on machineries owned or controlled by non-stock non-profit distribution utilities.
PHILRECA partylist Rep. Presley de Jesus, APEC partylist Rep. Sergio Dagooc, Ako Padayon partylist Rep. Adriano Ebcas, and RECOBODA partylist Rep. Godofredo Guya lamented that the real property tax (RPT) imposes a financial burden to electric consumers as part of the electric bills’ pass-on charges.
“The business of an electric cooperative is imbued with public interest which gives life to national economic activity and promotes modernization and technological advancement in rural areas. Hence, if the assets used by the electric cooperatives are burdened with these RPTs, the end result would be an increase in electricity bills paid by the end-users,” they said.