A sectoral congressman accused the House yesterday of trying to railroad the passage of the Power Industry Reform Bill which would pave the way for the privatization of the National Power Corp. (Napocor).
Rep. Renato Magtubo, who represents the militant labor group Sanlakas in the House, said the chamber has been discussing the measure since Monday despite the presence of a quorum.
He said he was forced the question the quorum on Tuesday night because there were only about 40 congressmen in the session hall while the power restructuring bill was being discussed.
"This bill is of national importance. It is a must that majority of the members be present when it is taken up," he said.
He added that the absence of most members on Tuesday meant that they were not interested in passing the measure.
"I raised the question of quorum to protect the institution. It is my duty as representative to protect the interest of the people and of this institution by ensuring democratic deliberations inside this House," he stressed.
Magtubo urged his colleagues to religiously attend their sessions and take part in deliberations on important measures such as the bill that would lead to the privatization of Napocor and that would affect the cost of electricity.
He said if lawmakers take their job for granted, "the essence of representative democracy is lost and the people are mostly likely to suffer when the approved law is found ineffective."
He said besides participating in the debates, his colleagues can show their interest on a particular measure by not chatting with each other or roaming the session hall during debates, and by not leaving early.
Magtubo and several opposition and administration congressmen are opposed to the power reform bill, claiming that the sale of Napocor's assets to the private sector could lead to higher cost of electricity for millions of consumers.
Former senator and now Rep. Ernesto Herrera (LAMP, Bohol) said the recommendation of the House energy committee to let consumers shoulder the burden of paying for billions of pesos in Napocor loans would surely result in higher electricity bills.
He said if National Government assumes such a burden, it would be the Filipino taxpayers who would pay for the loans through their taxes.
The House leadership intends to have the power bill approved before Congress goes on its Lenten recess on April 14.
Earlier, another sectoral representative, Loretta Ann Rosales, accused the International Monetary Fund of pressuring the House into approving the bill as soon as possible and linking the measure's passage to its release of loans to the Philippine government.