The Senate has approved on third and final reading a landmark anti-red tape measure poised to drive down electricity costs and provide significant savings to power consumers by modernizing and streamlining the permitting process behind the construction of power plants.
The Senate has approved on second reading Senate Bill No. 1439, the Energy Virtual One Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act of 2017, a measure which seeks to modernize and streamline the permitting process of energy generation projects in the country.
The Senate is taking the lead in mediating the heated dispute between the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative Inc. (BUSECO) concerning the former's disciplinary authority over the latter.
Senator Win Gatchalian is calling on executive officials to address ambiguities surrounding the utilization of the P198 billion Malampaya Fund to ensure that the remaining funds will be spent in a transparent manner in accordance with the law.
Alarmed by the grave impact of the Palawan energy crisis on the provincial economy, Senator Win Gatchalian is pressing the Palawan Electric Cooperative (Paleco) to make "drastic moves" to immediately resolve the frequent brownouts that have plagued the province since the beginning of the year.
The Senate on Monday unanimously approved on third and final reading the Electric Cooperative Emergency and Resiliency Fund Act of 2017 (Senate Bill No. 1461), which allocates P750 million to the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to fund the disaster rehabilitation efforts of electric cooperatives in the wake of debilitating calamities.
Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to cut its lengthy permitting system and address persistent complaints of unreasonable delays in the issuance of permits for power generation projects which are vital to fostering sustainable economic development felt by all Filipinos.
Senator Win Gatchalian says the Philippines will save trillions of pesos over the next twelve years if government sets in place an energy efficiency and conservation policy as a long-term strategy to address high electricity demand and costs.
The Senate Committee on Energy will pursue all possible legal remedies to hold accountable the parties responsible for the continuing power interruptions in many parts of Palawan, Senator Win Gatchalian said on Wednesday.
