Gatchalian urges DOE, DOF to issue Murang Kuryente Act IRR immediately

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Wednesday urged the Energy and Finance departments to issue as soon as possible the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Murang Kuryente Act.

Gatchalian, Senate energy committee chairman, said the spirit of the Murang Kuryente Act is to ease every Filipino household's burden of paying National Power Corporation’s (NPC) debts through the universal charge for stranded debts (UC-SD) and stranded contract costs (UC-SCC) incorporated in their monthly electricity bill.

He said the DOE and DOF should have promulgated the IRR on November 27 or 90 days after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Murang Kuryente Act on August 8.

“Gaya ng nakararaming Pilipino, ako rin ay nagtataka kung bakit na-delay ang pag issue ng IRR ng Murang Kuryente Act gayong malinaw na nakasaad sa batas na dapat within 90 days nailabas na ang IRR. Ibig sabihin, dapat mayroon nang IRR ang Murang Kuryente Act noon pang November 27,” he said in a statement.

The senator said while he understands that the DOE and the DOF need to conduct consultations and address complexities in the law, time is of the essence.

“We want all Filipinos to feel and receive the tangible benefits from the Malampaya Fund now. That’s why we are urging the DOE and DOF to issue the IRR as soon as possible so that there will be no new universal charges collected from every household,” he said. — MDM, GMA News