House OKs Meralco franchise bill
(UPDATE) THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading the bill that seeks to grant power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) a fresh 25-year legislative franchise. House Bill (HB) 10926 got the vote of 186 lawmakers against seven who opposed it; four abstained. Meralco's current franchise will expire in 2028. HB 10926 substituted three bills: HB 9793, filed by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda on Jan. 18, 2024; HB 9813, filed by Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Jan. 22, 2024; and HB 10317, filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on May 2, 2024. "I expect quick passage in the Senate and perhaps even no bicam," Salceda said in a statement on Wednesday after the third-reading approval of HB 10926. Salceda, an economist, said that Meralco "is an exemplar of how service reliability can create economic growth and development." "Using estimates from the [Philippine Statistics Authority] input-output t tables and data from the [Energy Regulatory Commission] on outages due to power supply by distribution utilities, the country would gain a net gross value added of P204.29 billion every year if all its coops and utilities performed like Meralco", he said. "This is the fruit of some P220 billion Meralco invested in reducing system losses and system interruptions. No wonder as many as 40 localities have asked Meralco to cover them," he said. Salceda said that Meralco "has also fully complied with the ERC's rules and issuances. Some P48.3 billion in consumer refunds have also been delivered in full." "As I repeatedly assert, the role of the franchise review process in Congress is to see whether a grantee has complied with its mandates. In this regard, there can be little question. Meralco has fulfilled its end of the current franchise law," he said.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
(UPDATE) THE House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading the bill that seeks to grant power distributor Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) a fresh 25-year legislative franchise.
House Bill (HB) 10926 got the vote of 186 lawmakers against seven who opposed it; four abstained.
Meralco's current franchise will expire in 2028.
HB 10926 substituted three bills: HB 9793, filed by Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda on Jan. 18, 2024; HB 9813, filed by Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Jan. 22, 2024; and HB 10317, filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco on May 2, 2024.
"I expect quick passage in the Senate and perhaps even no bicam," Salceda said in a statement on Wednesday after the third-reading approval of HB 10926.
Salceda, an economist, said that Meralco "is an exemplar of how service reliability can create economic growth and development."
"Using estimates from the [Philippine Statistics Authority] input-output t tables and data from the [Energy Regulatory Commission] on outages due to power supply by distribution utilities, the country would gain a net gross value added of P204.29 billion every year if all its coops and utilities performed like Meralco", he said.
"This is the fruit of some P220 billion Meralco invested in reducing system losses and system interruptions. No wonder as many as 40 localities have asked Meralco to cover them," he said.
Salceda said that Meralco "has also fully complied with the ERC's rules and issuances. Some P48.3 billion in consumer refunds have also been delivered in full."
"As I repeatedly assert, the role of the franchise review process in Congress is to see whether a grantee has complied with its mandates. In this regard, there can be little question. Meralco has fulfilled its end of the current franchise law," he said.
