The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has moved to strengthen its role to safeguard consumer welfare while supporting the growth of the energy sector, promising quicker case resolution to ensure the public benefits from stronger and more effective regulation.
In a bid to reinforce confidence among stakeholders and demonstrate fairness and greater transparency, recently appointed Chairperson Atty. Francis Saturnino Juan set in motion internal reforms aimed at addressing long-pending cases, including assigning commissioners specific oversight roles to improve efficiency and accountability.
The new ERC leadership also empowered its personnel to fast-track the release of decisions, a move seen as critical to reducing delays that have long hampered regulatory processes.
As part of these reforms, the ERC has formally adopted the conduct of summary proceedings for certain applications deemed critical to electricity supply and access. Under Resolution No. 16, Series of 2025, promulgated last September 29, the Commission authorized shorter deliberation procedures for uncontested cases such as authority to develop and operate dedicated point-to-point (P2P) transmission facilities, approval of capital expenditure (CAPEX) projects, confirmation of over/under recoveries, and approval of power supply contracts.
The measure, which also covers the issuance of Certificates of Public Convenience and Necessity and business separation and unbundling plans, is expected to accelerate deliberations that often face prolonged hearings. Summary proceedings will apply to uncontested applications or those with intervenors who agree to such treatment.
Chairperson Juan stressed that this initiative underscores the Commission’s commitment to a “new ERC” defined by efficiency, fairness, and responsiveness.
“We will do everything we can to accelerate the resolution of applications filed before the ERC. Streamlining our processes is key to fulfilling our commitment to a more responsive and revitalized ERC,” Juan said.
Parallel to these efficiency measures, the ERC has begun work to improve implementation guidelines of critical measures, including the Competitive Selection Process (CSP).
In a recent statement, Juan described the CSP as a central safeguard for consumers, explaining that “upholding a competitively derived price is the highest form of consumer protection. It protects consumers from the hidden costs of uncertainty, underinvestment, and the return of negotiated monopolistic rates.”
This, he noted, aligns with competitive principles enshrined in the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).
“In this new era, the role of the ERC is not diminished—it is transformed. Its mandate is clearer and more critical than ever: to be the guardian of the competitive process and the guarantor of its integrity,” Juan added.
The ERC’s balancing act likewise aims to enforce consumer protection while ensuring that rules remain stable enough to sustain investor participation in the sector — which is critical to keeping electricity rates fair, cost-competitive and reasonable.
Industry stakeholders have since expressed strong support for the agency’s initiatives, particularly its move to adopt summary proceedings and eliminate regulatory backlogs that deter progress in power projects.#