The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) expressed misgivings over proposals to increase the number of commissioners to nine from five, saying this would make the agency “too bureaucratic.”
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I agree with Chair Dimalanta that the proposal to increase the number of Commissioners from five to nine will only make the body top heavy and bureaucratic. Ir can even result to inconsistencies in the decision of similar cases by the three regional offices. This suggestion was first brought up about ten years ago but did not gain any ground because it was deemed impractical.
Maybe the lawmakers or, whoever suggested this should first look at the other territories. Then they will realize that the countries bigger than us have the same or even lesser number of commissioners. They focus on competency and lesser politics.
ERC should really invest in staff competency development. These people stay even after commissioners retire. So, commissioner competence, experience and maturity should be given importance.
There are two other changes that should be considered –
1. Serious consideration to consumer advocacies to provide more substance to hearings and consulrations. The govt can create a group whose task is to perform consumer advocacy if it wants to be serious in this undertaking. The group can consist of reps from DTI, SEC, BIR, PSE, DOF, Etc.
2. Build up integrity of decisions by considering creating a group within ERC called internal ombudsman who can challenge decisions but not as part of the regulatory process. They do not decide but act as consumer advocates and a group where internal issues can be brought forward with integrity.
We can draw from the experience of ABS CBN who appointed L Tanada Jr. as internal ombudsman.
Alfredo J. Non