Escudero: Amendments to EPIRA, CREATE Laws seen before Marcos next SONA

Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero on Tuesday expressed confidence that the amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act and  Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Law will be passed before the next State of the Nation Address.

The Senate chief made the commitment after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. mentioned amending the two laws in his third SONA last Monday.

"Dalawa lang naman 'yung binanggit niya, maliban doon sa mga pinagusapan namin sa LEDAC, dalawa lang ang binanggit niya na panibagong batas na nais niyang makita na ipasa ng Kongreso. Buo ang kumpiyansa kong maipapasa namin bago sa susunod niyang SONA next year," Escudero told reporters on Tuesday.

(There were only two mentioned by the President, aside from those discussed in the LEDAC. The President mentioned only two laws he wants Congress to pass. I am confident that we will pass those before the SONA next year.)

According to Escudero, the Senate is waiting for the specific amendments that will be introduced to the law, but he emphasized that the changes to the measure should focus on lowering the cost of power and increase power supply in the country.

"Hinilingan ko na ng proposed amendment ang Department of Energy gayun din ang tanggapan ng Pangulo habang kasalukuyan din kaming nagda-draft ng mga amendments na sa isip namin ay kailangan para mapababa ang presyo ng kuryente sa ating bansa. Basically, layunin lamang ng amendment na ito na mapalaki pa ang supply ng kuryente sa ating bansa," Escudero said.

(I have asked the proposed amendment from the Department of Energy as well as the Office of the President while we on our own are crafting our amendments which we think are needed to lower the cost of power in the country. Basically, we want to increase power supply in the country.)

Meanwhile, Escudero said the committee report on CREATE MORE or the bill proposing amendments to CREATE Law is expected to be released by Senator Sherwin Gatchalin this week.

Gatchalian is the chairman of the Senate ways and means committee.

"'Yung CREATE MORE na ilalabas na ni Senator Win ngayong linggong ito 'yung committee report para sa lalong madaling panahon ay maaprubahan na namin dahil aprubado na yan sa Kamara at nandito yung mga kasamahan namin sa Kamara rin na nauna nang nag-apruba niyan," Escudero said.

(The CREATE MORE to be released by Senator Win this week ... this will be the committee report which we will approve since it has been approved in the House of Representatives.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News