Congress prodded on GCG charter amendments bills
THE Governance Commission for Governmentowned or -Controlled Corporations (GCG) on Tuesday said it is lobbying lawmakers to amend its charter in a bid to strengthen its powers in regulating the GOCC sector.
“In order to efficiently operate as a regulatory body for the GOCC sector, RA 10149 is proposed to be amended to address issues and clarify and strengthen the powers and functions of the GCG,” GCG Chairperson Justice Alex L. Quiroz said.
The GCG noted that it has faced several issues regarding its scope and duties and even regarding the legality of its powers and functions provided under its charter. The GCG was created under Republic
Act 10149 or the GOCC Governance Act of 2011.
The GCG said Quiroz and GCG Commissioner Gideon D.V. Mortel met with House Speaker Ferdinand Romualdez last May 25 to discuss the proposed amendments to the body’s charter.
Quoting Mortel, the GCG said draft bills have been submitted to some lawmakers at the House of Representatives to put forward the changes to the body’s mandate.
The GCG added that it has also submitted its proposed amendments to Sen. Alan Peter S. Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Government Corporations and Public Enterprises, in December 2022.
One amendment the GCG is eyeing is the “standardization” of the definition of GOCCS.
The GCG is also seeking fixed terms of office for the GCG Chairperson and Commissioners while creating an office for a GCG Executive Director.
“To strengthen its oversight powers, the agency is asking Congress for subpoena and contempt powers as well as investigative and disciplinary powers,” it said.
“It is also seeking express power to consolidate, rationalize, and integrate GOCCS into national government agencies [NGAS],” it added.
Furthermore, GCG said it seeks to be granted the authority to determine the appropriate incentive programs for all employees affected by any rationalization, reorganization, merger, consolidation, integration into an NGA, abolition, or privatization of GOCCS.
The GCG pointed out that some GOCCS “have functions that are duplicative of what is already being carried out by other NGAS or GOCCS.”
“We can recommend to the Office of the President that it would be economical for those GOCCS which are not financially viable, but are performing vital public service, to be converted into or transferred to NGAS,” Quiroz said.