Philippines: New RCOA policy would have caused power rate hike, watchdog says

Philippines: New RCOA policy would have caused power rate hike, watchdog
says

POWER SECTOR WATCHDOG BANTAY KURYENTE EXPRESSED RELIEF OVER THE TRO AGAINST
THE NEW RETAIL COMPETITION AND OPEN ACCESS (RCOA) POLICY, AS THIS WOULD HAVE
LED TO A SPIKE IN ELECTRICITY RATES.

The group's statement comes after AGHAM partylist and consumer group Citizen
Watch released statements in support of the Supreme Court's decision.

The Supreme Court's decision to suspend the implementation of DOE and ERC's
new policy benefits not only the petitioners and businesses, ultimately
consumers in general, Bantay Kuryente secretary general Pet Climaco said.

The group previously expressed dismay over the mandatory contestability,
saying it forced consumers to abandon their existing contracts and enter
into new, unfavorable ones in order to meet the February 26 deadline set by
ERC.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), Ateneo De Manila
University, San Beda College-Alabang and mall owner Riverbanks Development
Corp. filed the petition against the new policy.

"This shows that there is multi-sectoral opposition to the ERC's new
policy," Climaco said.

He urged business groups, academic institutions, consumers and civil society
to express their opinion on the matter.

"The consumers, as the central parties-in-interest, should be made aware if
there really is no basis for the mandatory migration being ordered by the
DOE and the ERC through the questioned issuances." Climaco added.

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Link to Original Article:
http://powerphilippines.com/2017/03/02/new-rcoa-policy-would-have-caused-pow
er-rate-hike-watchdog-says/

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com