ERC to expedite resolution of case backlogs

With the Ease of Doing Business law in place, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is reviewing its internal processes to streamline and hasten actions on pending petitions amid a push to rid the agency of its backlog.

When former Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera was installed as chair and chief executive of ERC in December 2017, she said the regulator needed to act on 162 cases that involved a total of about P1.59 trillion in investments from both local and foreign entities.

And with two of four commissioners suspended while two seats remained vacant—the two other commissioners retired earlier this month—the ERC hoped to double down on its zero-backlog efforts once a quorum becomes possible again.

“Our efforts are geared toward improving efficiency and effectiveness in light of the zero-backlog program that the ERC is embarking on,” Devanadera said in a statement.

“With the review and streamlining of processes that we have started to undertake, we were able to identify the processes that need to be improved for each unit or section of the ERC,” she added.

Devanadera said five out of the seven ERC departments have completed their respective workshops intended to revisit and streamline their work processes.

She said the ERC has also been conducting a series of process reviews to expedite and improve internal work in preparation for the full implementation of the new law on Ease in Doing Business in the Government or Republic Act No. 11032.

“The process review and streamlining is also in line with the ERC’s ‘5Es’ project that aims, among others, to automate the process for transparency and accountability toward achieving excellent results,” the ERC chair said.

“We expect that we will realize the fruits of our initiatives soon in order to provide the electric power industry stakeholders, including the consuming public, with better and faster services,” she added.