By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Erwin Tulfo on Monday vowed to pursue legislative reforms aimed at easing the financial burden on Filipino consumers, including amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and the Oil Deregulation Law, saying existing policies have unfairly shifted costs to the public.
As chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, Tulfo said the panel will soon convene hearings involving power generation firms, distribution utilities, and other industry stakeholders to examine the continued imposition of system loss charges on electricity consumers.
He questioned the long-standing practice of passing transmission and distribution losses on to consumers, arguing that such costs should instead be treated as operational expenses borne by power companies.
“System loss is a business expense and should not be charged to consumers,” Tulfo said, adding that lawmakers intend to scrutinize the existing regulatory framework governing the power industry.
Beyond the electricity sector, the senator also called for amendments to the Oil Deregulation Law, saying the measure has significantly limited the government’s ability to intervene in fuel pricing.
Tulfo said the proposed reforms would empower the Department of Energy (DOE) to review and question substantial fuel price adjustments to ensure they are justified by prevailing market conditions. He also stressed the need for oil companies to implement price rollbacks as promptly and proportionately as they impose price increases.
The senator expressed optimism that the proposed amendments could move through the legislative process within the 20th Congress, with committee hearings already underway. He said he hopes the measures can be sponsored on the Senate floor before the Christmas legislative break.
Legal action ve Romualdez
Meanwhile, Tulfo welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.‘s declaration during his State of the Nation Address that legal action is being pursued against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, saying the development demonstrates the administration’s willingness to hold public officials accountable regardless of political affiliation or family ties.
On whether the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee would still conduct a separate inquiry into the allegations involving Romualdez, Tulfo said he is inclined to defer to the Office of the Ombudsman, noting that formal cases have already been initiated.
However, he clarified that any decision on whether the Senate panel will undertake its own investigation will be made collectively after consultations with members of the Blue Ribbon Committee once its leadership and membership are finalized.
ia/xf
