|
A bill filed by
3rd District Rep. Adam Relson Jala at the House of Representatives for the revocation
of the franchise issued to Bohol Light Company Inc. (BLCI) hits a snag after no
corporate entity has yet applied to distribute power in the utility's service
area.
Interviewed
over dyRD's top-rated "Tagbilaran-by-Nite", Jala explained Congress
could not just revoke the franchise of Bohol Light if they do not receive new
applicants to serve Tagbilaran City.
Filed
last December 2007, HB 3355 authored by Jala is pending review and deliberations
at the House committee on legislative franchises.
The
revocation of the Bohol Light franchise as proposed by Jala's bill is anchored
on the argument that the National Electrification Commission (NEC) had no authority
to grant the franchise to the utility company after the Energy Power Industry
Reform Act (EPIRA) was already in effect when it was issued.
Congress
was given exclusive mandate to issue power distribution franchises under the EPIRA.
| | | The
solon said the committee on legislative franchises could not yet move into deliberations
of HB 3355 without an applicant ready to substitute the services of Bohol Light.
According
to Jala, anyone who is interested to distribute power here in the city can apply.
Even
the city and provincial governments which has signified interest of buying out
the majority shares of Bohol Light could take advantage of applying for a franchise. |
Bohol Light
may also apply for the congressional franchise, he said.
Jala
disclosed that 1st District Rep. Edgar Chatto and 2nd District Rep. Roberto Cajes,
whom he both considers veteran lawmakers and respected in Congress, had assured
support on his bill. | 
