Monsada wants policy continuity

Women leaders now dominate DOE

Stakeholders in the power industry shall expect “more of the same” at the Department of Energy (DOE), as newlynamed officer-in-charge Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada has sounded off that “she will just continue all the programs and policies already laid down” by her predecessor.

Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla formally left the department’s helm last week after Malacañang finally made an announcement on his replacement. Petilla is planning to run in next year’s senatorial race.

While at this transition phase, the energy sector will coincidentally be dominated by women heading the different agencies.

Aside from Monsada, the lady-energy managers include Philippine Electricity Market Corporation president Melinda L. Ocampo, National Electrification Administration chief Edita S. Bueno, National Power Corporation president Gladys Cruz-Sta. Rita and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation officer-in-charge Lourdes S. Alzona.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is also perceived as a tough contest between two female lawyers: Commissioners Josefina Patricia M. Asirit and Gloria Victoria C. Yap-Taruc.

Meanwhile, Monsada noted that the policy priority will be harmonizing the rules that shall be set by the ERC for the scheduled mandatory enforcement of retail competition and open access (RCOA) in the restructured electricity sector.

She emphasized that the ERC-crafted rules must be aligned with the aggregated supply auctioning policy being pushed by the energy department.

Monsada said both agencies will sit down and discuss how they can harmonize the rules and consult with the affected stakeholders on the portended outcomes.

The other policy focus of the DOE on the 11-month