The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has vowed to act on every pending case and clear its backlog as it convened its first Open Commission Meeting under the leadership of new Chairperson and CEO Francis Saturnino C. Juan on August 13, 2025.

With the session streamed live on the ERC’s website and its social media pages, Juan was joined by Commissioners Floresinda Baldo G. Digal, Marko Romeo L. Fuentes, Amante A. Liberato, and Paris G. Real. The Commission committed to streamlining processes and ensuring that all cases, some even dating back to the agency’s inception in 2001, are resolved within target timelines.

The current backlog includes about 5,000 cases covering rate resets for private distribution utilities, applications under the Rules for Setting Electric Cooperatives’ Wheeling Rates, capital expenditure proposals, approvals of Power Supply Agreements, including emergency PSAs, Point-to-Point line applications, dispute resolutions, rule-making matters, other rate-related cases, and unreleased Show Cause Orders.

To accelerate resolution, Juan announced that each commissioner will take on oversight responsibility for specific ERC services. “The ERC means business. So, we, at the Commission, have assigned specific oversight responsibilities so that every case gets the attention it deserves. Lahat ng kaso ay mahalaga: walang maliit, walang malaki,” he said.

Commissioner Digal stressed the importance of establishing a reconciled case inventory to guide the new Commission in addressing the backlog, while Commissioner Real underscored the need to prioritize delayed cases inherited from the Energy Regulatory Board. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and we would be doing a disservice to our stakeholders, to our consumers, and all parties concerned if we are unable to speedily resolve the pending cases,” Real said.

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