The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. (PHILRECA), through its Facebook page, welcomed the approval of several key energy reform bills by the House Committee on Energy. They described the measures as vital to strengthening electric cooperatives, protecting line workers, and modernizing the country’s power system.

During its October 10 hearing at the House of Representatives, the committee advanced multiple priority measures. These include those aimed at strengthening the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), promoting energy storage systems, and recognizing and protecting line workers in the power industry.

“Our line workers are an integral part of our operations, and they work under very dangerous conditions,” PHILRECA said. “In fact, we would like to thank our electric cooperatives for deploying around 389 line workers during the recent typhoons. These measures are very important to provide the right kind of protection for our linemen.”

Under the ERC-related reforms, House Bills 855, 1555, 2901, and 4147 were approved to make the regulatory body more responsive and capable of supporting distribution utilities, especially rural electric cooperatives, in achieving compliance and sustaining efficient operations. PHILRECA said these bills will help ensure a more stable and accountable regulatory environment across the country’s power sector.

The committee also approved House Bill 865, which promotes the use of energy storage systems to enhance power reliability and improve the integration of renewable energy into the grid. PHILRECA praised the initiative as a forward-looking step that supports the modernization of rural distribution networks.

Another major legislative batch addressed the welfare of line workers, approving House Bills 867 and 3225, which declare the first Monday of August as National Line Workers Appreciation Day, and House Bills 868 and 2399, which propose mandatory insurance coverage and benefits for line workers. PHILRECA said the measures would officialize long-overdue protections for the industry’s frontliners.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez also proposed the inclusion of hazard pay provisions to complement the insurance coverage—a suggestion the committee agreed to review in future.

PHILRECA noted that many of the approved bills were authored by Power Bloc representatives, including APEC Party-list Rep. Sergio C. Dagooc and PhilRECA Party-list Rep. Presley C. de Jesus, who continue to champion rural electrification and cooperative reforms in Congress.

The association reaffirmed its commitment to participate in refining the measures as they move toward consolidation, thus ensuring that the final versions address the operational realities faced by electric cooperatives and their workforce.

How can the Philippines strengthen protections for line workers while ensuring electric cooperatives remain efficient and sustainable in serving rural communities?

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