Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to ensure a continuous supply of energy for its customers following a recent decision of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) denying a petition for a rate increase made by the power distribution giant and the power-generation arm of San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

Senator Win Gatchalian said he expects the number in renewable energy (RE) investments to rise substantially following a Department of Justice (DOJ) opinion that natural resources including solar, wind, hydro and ocean or tidal energies are not covered by the constitutional limitation on foreign ownership.

Senator Win Gatchalian urged distribution facilities to contract more renewable energy (RE) as such a move will benefit consumers amid prevailing global energy risks.

Senator Win Gatchalian said a reset of power transmission rates by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), which has been delayed for 10 years, could provide some respite to consumers.

Senator Win Gatchalian called on the Department of Energy (DOE) to provide an explanation on the rotational power outages that hit parts of Luzon starting Sunday and urged for the aggressive implementation of solutions to address the issue. 

Senator Win Gatchalian wants to put in place an energy subsidy program that will provide a safety net for the public transport sector from oil price increases and subsequently deter fare hikes for the benefit of the commuting public.

Senator Win Gatchalian stressed that the recent agreement between Enrique Razon, Jr.’s Prime Exploration Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra), and Dennis Uy on the acquisition of his MEXP Holdings Pte. Ltd. (MEXP Holdings) should be in compliance with the law to ensure the protection of consumers, the government, and the country’s energy security.

Senator Win Gatchalian welcomes the appointment of lawyer Monalisa Carneo Dimalanta as the new chairperson of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), replacing Atty. Agnes Devanadera who headed the agency for nearly five years.

With gasoline pump prices up again this week, Senator Win Gatchalian said there is a need for Congress to look into the impact of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine on the country’s energy security and affordability.