Epira amendment bill might not pass - Villar

MANILA, Philippines - The proposed measure amending the Electric Power Industries Reform Act, or RA 9136, would not likely pass as Congress adjourned sine die on Wednesday. Senate President Manuel Villar said that even if the period of interpellation at the plenary would be finished, the measure - sponsored by of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile - has to go to the period of amendments. The proposal to amend the Epira law has been opposed by some sectors, including the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in the Philippines whose officials were berated for "interfering" in local affairs during a recent Senate hearing. Besides, Villar said there are other pending bills that the Senate would tackle before the Epira, such as bills on child pornography which is already on third reading, the proposed amendments to the Cooperative Code of the Philippines, among others. He did not mention that some of his colleagues were not keen on voting for the Epira amendments. One is Sen. Ma. Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal who said ordinary people are not expected to benefit from the Enrile bill. The Epira law was passed by Congress in 2001 to lower the power rates in the country. It failed in its promise as the price of power in the country has become the highest in Asia. "Hindi niya (Enrile) ako masagot nang tanungin ko siya kung kailan matitikman ng ordinaryong consumer ang biyaya ng kanyang panukala subalit hindi niya ako masagot," Madrigal said. "Ang sinasabi niya, sa dakong huli may trickle down effect daw ito sa maliliit na gumagamit ng kuryente subalit hindi niya masabi kung kalian ito mangyayari," she added. Under the Enrile proposal, the threshold level of the privatizations of power plants of Napocor would be lowered to 50 percent from 70 percent to invite more competitors. But the Joint Foreign Chambers said Enrile's proposal would not end the monopoly of Napocor in the power generation and distribution. At least two opposition senators chided Enrile for his high-handed treatment of JFC representatives during Friday's hearing. Sen. Francis Escudero, Senate ways and means chair, and Sen. Panfilo Lacson said the foreign guests deserved courtesy during the public hearing. Escudero said he had hoped Enrile, Senators Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Joker Arroyo were discreet in sending their message to the foreign chambers on the issue of interfering in a country's internal affairs, especially in the area of legislation. Hubert D'Aboville, JFC spokesman and president of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, was reading a statement by his group during that Friday hearing when Enrile butted in and asked him why the JFC asked President Arroyo in a letter to stop any amendments to the Epira law. The JFC is composed of investors from the United States, Japan, Korea, Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. After the Friday incident, the Philippine Stock Exchange confirmed that P1.2 billion were taken out of the stock market by foreign investors. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas also said that foreign investments fell by 60 percent. Escudero, who met with JFC representatives Wednesday morning, said that while the traders felt slighted during the hearing, foreign investors remain confident in doing business in the country. "Actually tinatawanan na lang nila kung ano man ang karanasan na dinanas nila ditto sa senado at hindi naging isang balakid yon para hindi maging maganda ang palitan namin at definitely hindi rin naging negatibo ang kanilang pananaw at opinion sa ating bansa man o sa sino mang opisyal ng pamahalaan dahil sa kanilang karansan sa senado," Escudero said. He said the JFC members are still willing to attend future inquiries in the Senate. He said the JFC maintains that before any amendments to the present EPIRA, its provisions must be first be implemented, among them the privatization of Napocor. "Ang concern nila kung mag-oopen access tayo at malaki pa rin ang Napocor mayroon silang (Napocor) advantage kumpara sa ibang namumuhunan dito," Escudero said. - GMANews.TV