Do full review of Meralco franchise renewal bills, lawmakers urged

GABRIELA Women's Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas on Monday asked her fellow lawmakers in the House of Representatives to study carefully the bills proposing to renew Manila Electric Co.'s (Meralco) legislative franchise, which will expire in 2028.

«We need to study the bills more exhaustively because only two committee hearings have so far been held to discuss the matter,» Brosas said.

She said the government should not rush granting the power firm a new franchise in light of the power rate hikes.

«If there's a series of power rate increases, it's clear that there's a problem with privatization,» Brosas said, adding that power rate hikes have a huge impact on Filipinos.

Gabriela protested power rate increases in the wake of red and yellow alerts declared by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. It said the alert system is being used to justify power rate increases.

Bills seeking to renew Meralco's franchise for another 25 years are pending before the Committee on Legislative Franchises.

House Bill (HB) 9813 filed on Jan. 22, 2024, by Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, and HB 9793 filed on Jan. 18, 2024, by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda seek to renew Meralco's franchise.

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«It is our obligation as representatives of the people to ensure that all electricity end-users within the franchise of Meralco continue to enjoy safe, reliable and efficient service at fair and reasonable prices,» HB 9793's explanatory note states.

«It is therefore imperative that the State give its support to the renewal of Meralco's franchise so that it may continue to deliver the benefits of accessible and reliable power at a fair and reasonable price to residents, businesses, industries, government agencies, and all electricity end-users in its franchise area,» it adds.

Instead of rushing the approval of the measures that will extend Meralco's franchise, Brosas said the House should discuss the repeal of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira).

«The responsibility to provide public service must be returned to the government,» the lawmaker said.

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The Makabayan bloc in the House said Epira restructured and privatized power generation,