THE House of Representatives will initiate the necessary legislative reforms to rid the oil and power industries of existing intrinsic flaws that tend to undermine national interest, Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr. said yesterday.
    
Nograles said that beginning today when Congress resumes sessions after a three-week break, various congressional committees will speed up action on pending measures already in the “advance stages of the legislative mill,” as well as tackle the proposed P1.541 trillion national budget for 2010.
   
He said the House committees on energy, chaired by Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, and on ways and means headed by Antique Rep. Exequiel Javier will be “on top of the legislative action,” especially on the measures pertaining to oil and power.
   
Nograles said the energy committee, in cooperation with the appropriations panel, has begun consolidating House Bills No. 1628, 1936 and 2931 all seeking the further development of the natural gas industry related to the transmission, distribution and supply of the particular energy source.
   
He said the same committee will also fast track deliberations on House Bills No. 6207, 6398 and 6646, which seek to direct the reduction of electricity rates through the utilization of the government share in the discovery, exploration, development and production of indigenous sources of energy to lower the cost of electricity.
   
Nograles said Arroyo’s committee has also begun consolidating House Bills Nos. 346, 5921, 1320, 1724, 3029, 3030, 4262 and 4890 all designed to amend Republic Act No. 8479, or the “Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act” to increase competition at the retail level and strengthen the power of the Department of Energy.