ERC taking concrete steps to clear case backlogs

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has a self-imposed deadline of one year to clear its docket with case backlogs, hence, it is now taking concrete steps to achieve that – primarily by reinforcing its workforce.

ERC Chairman Jose Vicente B. Salazar disclosed that he has been in discussions with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) on possible designation of lawyers to the power regulatory body who could then help review the pileup of pending cases.

On top of that, the ERC chair held parallel talks with the College of Engineering and the School of Economics of the University of the Philippines (UP) for a contingent from the academe who could be deployed to the ERC and help in the Commission’s work.

With these agreements, Salazar indicated that the manpower of the ERC can be beefed up by about 20 individuals who will have the necessary legal, technical and economic backgrounds.

Salazar said the recruits will be assigned to the Commission’s different units: The Regulatory Affairs Service, Market Operations Service, Legal Services and Consumer Affairs Service, as well as to the technical working groups (TWG) on power supply agreements and renewable energy.

He acknowledged though that since these are coming from fields beyond the sphere of the energy sector, they might need comprehensive training before they could dip their hands into the sensitive yet tough framework of power industry regulation.

That then is the other focus of the regulatory body – and also the necessary budget that shall support these required training activities for the additional ERC-tapped personnel.

The Commission is