Transition panel to manage PEMC, WESM created

of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi on Friday, July 28, 2017 ordered the creation of a transition committee for the interim management of the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

Under the department order that Cusi issued, the committee is to be chaired by lawyer Oscar E. Ala which shall exercise the functions of the PEMC president until one is appointed by the PEMC board.

In addition, the Transition Committee is tasked to assess PEMC’s existing structures, systems, and resources and propose a way forward for the WESM to meet the challenges ahead. The order gives the committee seven months from August 1, 2017 to complete its tasks.

Cusi said the creation of the Transition Committee is in line with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s thrust of ensuring the protection of the Filipino electricity consumers, who are affected by the operation of PEMC and the WESM.

Cusi said the PEMC shall continue to effectively govern the operations of WESM for the benefit of all electricity stakeholders. On the organizational level, Cusi assures the PEMC employees that the PEMC leadership shall continue to improve and advance their welfare as WESM operations continue to evolve.

The PEMC was incorporated in 2003 and was constituted as the autonomous group market operator to oversee market governance and perform the functions of the market operator in the WESM.

Aside from Oscar Escobar Ala as Chairman, the Transition Committee Members are Engr. Jose Mari T. Bigornia, Atty. Jose M. Layug, Jr., Atty. Francis C. Saturnino Juan and Rauf A. Tan.

The PEMC will be governed by a new Philippine Electricity Market Board composed of: Alfonso G. Cusi as Chairman with Ronald Dylan P. Concepcion, Victor Emmanuel B. Santos, Emmanuel V. Rubio, Neeraj Bhat, Deon James, Rolando M. Cagampan, Octavius M. Mendoza, Allan L. Laniba, Noel V. Aboboto, Jesus L. Arranza and Peter L. Wallace as Board Members.