Rep. Chel Diokno (Akbayan party-list) appealed for the immediate resumption of a Senate joint hearing on high electricity costs, which was canceled during the Senate leadership shakeup.
The lawmaker on Wednesday, May 13 shared that the Senate Committees on Ways and Means, Energy, and Public Services were supposed to hold a joint hearing on May 12.
The topic was the high electricity costs being experienced by Filipino consumers amid the global fuel crisis and the peso depreciation.
“Magkakaroon sana ng hearing sa Senado tungkol sa mataas na singil sa kuryente, kaso inuna ang rigodon,” Diokno said in a Facebook post, referring to the Senate shakeup that unseated then-Senate President Tito Sotto III and installed then-Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano as Senate President.
“Habang nag-aagawan ng silya, dinededma na naman ang taumbayan. Simulan na dapat ang hearing nito sa Kamara!” the representative added.
Diokno’s post has garnered 12,000 likes and reactions, 1,000 shares and over 300 comments from online users.
In a comment, the lawmaker said the Akbayan Reform Bloc has filed House Resolution 995, which seeks an investigation into high power bills and the various charges being passed on to consumers.
These include generation charge, transmission charge, system loss charge, universal charge, Lifeline Subsidy charge, FIT-All, GEA-All, missionary electrification charge and taxes.
“Pinapasuri din nito ang posibleng amendments sa EPIRA Law, pati ang mga patakaran ng Energy Regulatory Commission, para masiguro na ang sistema ng kuryente ay patas at para sa kapakanan ng taumbayan,” Diokno added.
The EPIRA law refers to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, a law enacted in 2001 to restructure and privatize the country’s electric power industry.
On May 11, Cayetano assumed the post of Senate President in a move that some believe was arranged by Duterte allies to delay the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte once they reach the Upper Chamber.
This follows the House of Representatives’ vote to impeach Duterte, with the Senate expected to convene as an impeachment court for a trial that could potentially remove her from office.
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Following the shakeup in Senate leadership, all Senate posts, including committee chairmanships, were declared vacant.
Sen. Kiko Pangilinan was among those affected, as he was supposed to meet with farmers to hear their concerns and grievances regarding food production amid the rising fuel prices.
Cayetano hopes that Senate committees can be reorganized by Monday, May 18, in consultation with members.
