We own, we benefit

2017, six years after former president Benigno Aquino 3rd junked the deal that was twice declared by then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima as “legal and binding.” The Kaliwa Dam is another loose end in the supply chain because of ancestral domain and other issues.

Interestingly, Congress is foot dragging on the amendment of Commonwealth Act 146, or the “Public Service Act.” The same has been pending since 2016 with

and the approved House version, all amending Commonwealth

Gatchalian, Juan Miguel Zubiri,

Richard Gordon and Paolo Benigno Aquino 4th. Committee Report 301, recommended the approval of Senate Bill (SB) 1754 titled, “An Act Amending Commonwealth Act 146, Otherwise Known as The Public Service Act, as Amended, and For Other Purposes,” in substitution of SBs 695, 1261, 1291, 1441 and 1594, and taking into consideration House Bill 5828. The proposed bill recognized that “public service” is the much broader term while the term “public utility” is just a subset and is much smaller in scope under public service.

The Public Service Act or PSA, was enacted in 1936. More than 83 years have passed since its enactment. Those bills saw the end of the day when the 17th Congress ended. Under the 18th Congress, the measure was filed by Sen. Frank Drilon as SB 13 and it remains pending in the Committee on Public Services and Economic Affairs since July 2019.

Filipinos own the air, water and land subject to certain regu

service and/or pricing. Patrimonial should serve Filipinos more than the private sector. Yes, the private sector is there to earn but not earn to the detriment of service and the owners of the patrimonial assets. Imagine if the country can do a book value of these assets?

Electricity, water, airwaves are basic to Filipinos just like food, housing and jobs. “Debt is one person’s liability, but another person’s asset.” But it hurts if the owners, the Filipino people, always end up at the losing end and the liability of corporate giants are passed on to the citizens because government did not allow them to earn on a piece of patrimony. Some say it is not that easy. We say, that is the basic proposition that should be the order of the day.