Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to prepare contingency measures now that “Ambo” has intensified into a tropical storm, the very first storm that entered the country this year.

Senator Win Gatchalian is calling for an inquiry on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the upstream, midstream and downstream oil and gas sectors to determine the measures that the government needs to implement to ensure the country’s energy security.

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to further extend the price freeze on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene products until the state of national emergency has been totally lifted to ease the financial burden of the already cash-strapped Filipinos.

Senator Win Gatchalian, who championed the passage of the Murang Kuryente Act, said the much awaited Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law recently issued by the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) can mitigate the impact on consumers expecting to pay accumulated electricity bills once the quarantine period is lifted.

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a resolution to determine the short, medium, and long-term effects on the power sector and consumers of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senator Win Gatchalian has commended the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for swiftly acting on his call to undertake measures that will protect electricity consumers during the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), including the staggered payment of electricity bills.

Senator Win Gatchalian said the government needs to come up with a solution to ease the burden of Filipino households, whose electricity bills are expected to pile up after a month of reprieve especially that the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) has been extended.

Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and power generating companies (GenCos) to relax the provisions in the Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) so that consumers won’t have to pay for unused electricity since there has been a decrease in electricity demand during this time of enhanced community quarantine.

With the enhanced community quarantine expected to go beyond April, Senator Win Gatchalian is calling on the government to extend the price freeze on Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) which households commonly use for their day-to-day needs.