By Juzel L. Danganan
MANILA, August 23 (PNA) – Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Chairman Jose Vicente Salazar said the regulatory body will create a technical working group (TWG) in preparation for the creation of the Competition Commission.
”There has been no initiative for them to form the TWG to handle the implementing rules and regulations (IRR), but the ERC is already creating a TWG, so that when it forms we are ready to provide them with our inputs,” Salazar said in an interview.
He noted the TWG will be under the supervision of Commissioner Geronimo Sta. Ana.
Salazar, who worked at the DOJ before his ERC post, added he could bring some insights to the TWG with his former experience in the Department of Justice (DOJ) that oversaw the drafting of Republic Act (R.A.) 10667 or the Competition Law.
”I could provide the TWG with some guidance on how they could provide the means to achieve the objective of the new law.”
However, Salazar said the ERC will hold to its mandate to provide service to the people.
”One thing we can assure you. For as long as the government will be effective in its mandate of providing service to the people, we will coordinate, cooperate and collaborate in order for the govt, not just the ERC, to be more effective in our mandate.”
The mandate of the Competition Commission is similar to the ERC’s current mandate, under R.A. 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), to promote competition, encourage market development, ensure customer choice and penalize abuse of market power in the electricity industry.
The Competition Commission was created through the Competition Law, which established market rules and regulations to foster a competitive environment by regulating anti-competitive conduct. It will check the behavior of all companies under all business industries. (PNA)