PCCI head bats for lower power rates to boost RP’s competitiveness

The head of the biggest local business organization in the country has urged energy officials to bring down power rates, now the second highest in Asia after Japan, as one of main strategies to recover lost grounds in the Philippines’ ability to compete.

The call was made by Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Donald G. Dee as he presented the proposed action agenda in addressing key issues in the power sector during the first National Competitiveness Summit held in Malacañang.

Dee zeroed in on the need for the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to take a hard look and adjust to reasonable levels the present high charges imposed by the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo).

Dee said energy officials must not sacrifice public interest just to make TransCo juicy to investors in their bid to privatize the state corporation.

TransCo was specifically identified by the summit content team as one of the causes of expensive electricity for charging an average of P1 per kilowatt-hour based on a new supposedly performance-based rates policy.

Besides transmission cost, Dee identified power generation and distribution as possible areas where costs could be cut down. – Philexport News and Features