MikeLigalig.com

By Aurea Calica
The Philippine Star

The Senate committee on energy will look into the proposal to partially regulate the oil industry that may require the government â€" through the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) â€" to set fuel pump prices.

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, committee chairman, said he would verify if the proposal at the House of Representatives would meet two objectives: to have a steady supply of oil and reasonable prices.

“If that proposal in the House will address or respond to these objectives, the Senate committee on energy through the JCPC (Joint Congressional Power Commission), which I co-chair with (Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel) Mikey Arroyo, will support that,” Honasan said.

A “hybrid” regulation system was already proposed at the House, which could give the ERC the power to dictate pump prices.

Honasan said his committee and the JCPC have asked the ERC and the Department of Energy to submit the necessary documents to check whether the agencies have been religiously implementing the laws to safeguard oil consumers and assess if the oil deregulation measure would really have to be revisited.