22 September 2021
Manila, Philippines — Kuryente.org on Tuesday appealed to the chair, vice-chairs and members of the House Committee on Energy to urge the Department of Energy (DOE) not to release a controversial memorandum circular to amend the Competitive Selection Process (CSP), that seeks to accommodate unsolicited proposals for power supply to distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, until issues are fully resolved in the House of Representatives.
“We are confident that Committee on Energy Chairperson Mikey Arroyo (2nd District, Pampanga) will step in and defend the consumers by hearing House Resolution 1874 authored by Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Party-list Representative Amihilda Sangcopan, that urges the Committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the efforts of the DOE to amend the CSP in the procurement by the distribution utilities of power supply agreements and allowing what we see as un-competitive and unfair unsolicited proposals,” Nic Satur of Kuryente.org said.
“What is the rush? The move of the DOE is making consumers more anxious because of the pandemic and economic losses. We fear that weakening the competition process through unsolicited proposals will only result in higher electricity costs. Why are you in a hurry? Who is pressuring you?” Satur asked.
Last June, in response to the published DOE call to amend the CSP, Kuryente.org reached out to AMIN Party-list Rep. Sangcopan to investigate the move of the DOE as unnecessary, and will only benefit corporate interests that are disadvantageous to Filipino consumers.
“The DOE, despite numerous requests from consumers to justify the need to weaken the competition in the energy sector, failed to satisfy the basic question why amending the competitive selection process is necessary, and now they said that a memorandum on unsolicited proposals will come out this September. We hope Congress, on behalf of the electricity consumers, will exercise their oversight function to stop DOE in its tracks,” Satur said.
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