Gatchalian welcomes new ERC chairperson; urges pro-consumer regulatory structure

Senator Win Gatchalian welcomes the appointment of lawyer Monalisa Carneo Dimalanta as the new chairperson of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), replacing Atty. Agnes Devanadera who headed the agency for nearly five years.

Gatchalian, who has commended the ERC in many instances in the past, urges its new chief to carry out the same mandate in undertaking measures to protect electricity consumers.

The ERC has recently ordered power utility giant Meralco to refund some 21 billion peso-worth of overcollections for the period July 2015 to June 2022 which translates to a reduction of 87 centavos per kilowatt hour (kWh) in the electricity bills of residential consumers.

"I am looking forward to continued collaborative initiatives with the ERC under the new leadership of Atty. Mona Dimalanta. She is a good lawyer with good technical capabilities given her notable career in the energy sector," Gatchalian said.

Just like the senator, the new ERC chief is also a staunch supporter of renewable energy as a former chairperson of the National Renewable Energy Board (NREB). She helped push the industry's compliance to the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) policy of the Renewable Energy Act during her term at the NREB.

Atty. Dimalanta has worked with the Office of the Senator on multiple occasions during public consultations and committee hearings when Gatchalian was chairman of the Energy Committee. She helped steer the passage of various measures authored and co-authored by Gatchalian, specially the Microgrid Systems Act.

Her expertise in the energy sector has made her the top choice as legal counsel to major local and foreign players in the industry in the past. In fact, her leadership in many energy groups has earned her several international and Philippine awards and citations - one of which is a recognition as a "Market Leader" in the areas of Energy and Project Development. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, Dimalanta was one of the "Distinguished Representatives" for the 3rd Women in Renewables Asia of the Year Award.

"Atty. Mona has always been present in my committee hearings and Technical Working Group discussions when she was the NREB head. I hope that with her at the helm of ERC, we will continue to accomplish more great things together in promoting consumer interests, penalizing abuse of market power, encouraging market development, and promoting competition in the market," said Gatchalian.

"Umaasa ako na sa bagong liderato ng ahensiya ay mas marami pa tayong polisiyang maipapatupad na magtataguyod ng kapakanan ng mga konsyumer, magpaparusa sa mga mapang abusong kumpanya, magsusulong ng pag-unlad ng merkado, at magtutulak ng kompetisyon sa lokal na merkado," he added.

Bagong luklok na ERC chairperson ikinalugod ni Gatchalian

Ikinalugod ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagkakatalaga sa abogadong si Monalisa Carneo Dimalanta bilang bagong chairperson ng Energy Regulatory Commission o ERC kapalit ni Atty. Agnes Devanadera na nagsilbi sa ahensya ng halos limang taon.

Hinimok ni Gatchalian ang bagong mamumuno sa ERC na ipagpatuloy ang pagsusulong ng mga polisiyang magbibigay proteksyon sa mga konsyumer. Naka ilang beses na ring pinuri ng senador ang Komisyon dahil sa pagpapatupad ng mga programa para sa kapakanan ng mga konsyumer.

Nito lang nakaraang buwan ay ipinag-utos ng ERC sa Meralco na irefund ang may higit na 21 bilyong pisong halaga ng sobra-sobrang nakolekta ng power utility giant mula Hulyo ng 2015 hanggang Hunyo ngayong taon. Ito ay katumbas ng 87 centavos kada kilowatt hour (kWh) na kabawasan sa electricity bill ng mga residential consumers.

"Umaasa ako ng tuloy-tuloy na kolaborasyon ng aking tanggapan at ng ERC sa pamumuno ni Atty. Mona Dimalanta. Siya ay isang magaling na abogado na mayroong teknikal na kapasidad na magsusulong ng mga polisiya ng ahensya lalo na't may sapat siyang karanasan sa sektor ng enerhiya," ayon kay Gatchalian.

Katulad ng mambabatas, si Dimalanta ay tagasuporta rin ng renewable energy. Patunay dito ay ang kanyang dating pamumuno ng National Renewable Energy Board (NREB). Aktibo siyang nagsulong ng pagsunod ng bansa sa Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) policy ng Renewable Energy Act noong kasagsagan ng kanyang termino sa NREB.

Ilang beses na ring nakatrabaho ng mambabatas si Atty. Dimalanta sa maraming public consultations at committee hearings noong si Gatchalian ay chairman pa ng Senate Energy Committee. Kasama ng senador si Dimalanta sa pagsulong ng maraming panukalang batas na may kinalaman sa renewable energy, halimbawa ang Microgrid Systems Act kung saan si Gatchalian ang pangunahing may akda.

Ang pagiging dalubhasa ni Dimalanta sa larangan ng enerhiya ay nagbigay daan sa kanya upang gawin siyang pangunahing abogado ng ilang malalaking local at foreign companies, ayon kay Gatchalian. Sa katunayan, dagdag pa ni Gatchalian, ang pamumuno ni Dimalanta sa ibang mga energy groups ay naggawad sa kanya ng maraming international at Philippine awards at citations, kabilang na dito ang pagkilala sa kanya bilang "Market Leader" sa larangan ng Energy and Project Development. Noong kasagsagan ng pandemya noong 2020, si Dimalanta ay pinarangalang isa sa mga "Distinguished Representatives for the 3rd Women in Renewables Asia of the Year Award."

"Si Atty. Mona ay palaging present sa aking mga committee hearings at Technical Working Group discussions noong siya pa ay nasa NREB. Umaasa ako na sa bagong liderato ng ahensiya ay mas marami pa kaming polisiyang maipapatupad na magtataguyod ng kapakanan ng mga konsyumer, magpaparusa sa mga mapang abusong kumpanya, magsusulong ng pag-unlad ng merkado, at magtutulak ng kompetisyon sa lokal na merkado," sabi pa ng senador.