House OKs Solar Para Sa Bayan franchise

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has ratified a bicameral conference committee report endorsing the grant of a legislative franchise to Solar Para Sa Bayan Corp. (SPSBC), which is owned by outgoing Sen. Loren Legarda’s son Leandro Leviste. 

The ratification came before Congress adjourned its third and last regular session on Tuesday. The Senate earlier made a similar approval with Legarda abstaining.

The House will now print the bill and send it to President Duterte for signing into law.

The measure allows the Leviste firm to “construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain distributable power technologies and mini-grid systems throughout the Philippines to improve access to sustainable energy.” 

The congressional privilege is contained in Bill 8179, which some congressmen originally opposed to it called as a “mega franchise.” 

They said it had “unconstitutional provisions” and it would violate the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, since it authorizes SPSBC to operate even in areas being served by existing distribution utilities like Meralco and electric cooperatives.

However, none of the lawmakers voted against the grant of the franchise.

In the Senate, two senators objected to it for similar reasons.