The bill seeking a fresh franchise for MERALCO is expected to “sail smoothly” at the House of Representatives, advocate Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda said Tuesday, a day after it was approved at the committee level.
The House Committee on Legislative Franchises on Monday voted to approve the consolidated bills granting Meralco a new 25-year franchise to distribute electricity in an area that accounts for more than half of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Committee Chairman and Paranaque Rep. Gustavo Tambunting told committee members that aside from the backing of many legislators, various business organizations have also thrown their support behind the immediate renewal of Meralco’s franchise.
“For the past few months we have held meetings to discuss the franchise application of MERALCO. Since then, we have received various letters of support,” said Rep. Tambunting as he identified nearly two dozen business groups, including industry federations as well as the Japanese and British Chambers of Commerce.
Rep. Salceda, who filed one of the initial bills for the renewal of MERALCO’s franchise, welcomed the development, and thanked Rep. Tambunting for the “fair and extensive evaluation” of the proposed extension of the utility’s authority to operate.
“The franchise is possibly the single most important private bill for industrial policy in this country. MERALCO services an area responsible for about half the country’s entire GDP, and about 26 percent of the population,” Salceda, who also chairs the House Committee on Ways and Means, said.
“I expect the franchise bill to sail smoothly through the floor. The role of the franchise review process in Congress is to see whether a grantee has complied with its mandates. In this regard, there can be little question. MERALCO has fulfilled its end of the current franchise law,” he added.
MERALCO, the lawmaker emphasized “is an exemplar of how service reliability can create economic growth and development.”
In vouching for MERALCO’s franchise bid, Salceda noted that the company is fully compliant with the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) rules and issuances.
Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority and the ERC, Salceda said some P204.29 billion net gross value could be added to the economy if all electric cooperatives and distribution utilities performed like MERALCO.
Aside from Rep. Salceda, former House Speaker and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco, and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who chairs the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, also filed separate bills that sought to extend the franchise by another 25 years when it expires in 2028, all citing the reliable service provided by MERALCO which many want expanded to their regions.
In pushing the committee to report out the bill, Rep. Rodriguez pointed out that marathon hearings conducted by the Committee on Legislative Franchise in recent months have ventilated all the issues for and against the renewal of Meralco’s franchise.
“We are ready to approve the extension of the franchise of Meralco,” he said.
Rep. Velasco also urged committee members to endorse Meralco’s franchise bill.
“Everything has been fully discussed. No other issue has been put forward. MERALCO has long been serving our country well and they deserve to be granted a new franchise,” he said.