Development training ordered for consumer welfare officers

The Energy Regulatory Commission has recently directed all Consumer Welfare Desk Officers of power distribution utilities and electricity providers to undergo consumer welfare development training to be facilitated by the trainors of the commission.

These trainors are selected consumer welfare desk officers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao who went through the development training first, and further underwent trainor's training. Now, they are ready to train other consumer welfare desk officers.

In a resolution, the commission required all power distribution utilities and electricity providers to put up consumer welfare desks to entertain complaints from power consumers, especially on the implementation and effects of the Expanded Value Added Tax law.

The resolution further said that the ERC sees the need "to impose minimum standards for electric utilities in the creation of consumer welfare desks in order to professionalize their services and ensure that consumer complaints are handled promptly and efficiently."

Such putting up of consumer welfare desks is mandated by Republic Act 9136 or the Electrical Power Industry Reform Act to ensure customer choice, promote consumer interests, and to issue appropriate guidelines and mechanisms.

Aside from attending to the complaints of the consumers, the commission also said that consumer welfare desks would be responsible for posting and disseminating major announcements. The creation of consumer welfare desks forms part of the 10-point regulatory agenda of the ERC to strengthen the customer service capabilities of the distribution utilities. Non-compliance of distribution utilities with the order entails fines and penalties the commission shall impose. -

Wenna A. Berondo