Though he is grateful to President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for considering him as Department of Energy secretary, House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta said that he is not jostling for the position, adding that he could have done more if he won a seat in the Senate.

In an interview on Net 25’s “Sa Ganang Mamamayan“ on Friday, June 3, the Social Amelioration & Genuine Intervention on Poverty Partylist (SAGIP) Partylist lawmaker expressed appreciation to the President-elect but stressed that he would go where his help is needed.

“Kailangan malaman ng mga kababayan natin, hindi ako nakikipag-gitgitan sa posisyon na ‘yan (Our countrymen need to know, I am not jostling with others for that position),” Marcoleta stated.

The lawmaker insisted that he wants someone in the Department of Energy (DOE) who can push for the needed reforms that would ease the high energy costs in the country.

“Ang gusto kong malaman, kung sino man ang itatalaga diyan ay kailangan ma-address talaga ‘yung problema ng bansa at reporma para po ang ipinangako na maibaba natin ‘yung singil ng kuryente ay matupad (What I want to know, whoever will be appointed there needs to address really the problems of the country and reform for the promise to bring down the cost of energy will be fulfilled),” Marcoleta said.

He is more inclined to continue his legislative work as SAGIP Partylist representative since the group won two seats in the last 2022 elections.

Marcoleta would also push for measures in line with his advocacies.

READ: Will Marcoleta still get a Cabinet post? Marcos answers

“Eh sabi ko nga kung ako ay nasa Senado sana kasi ang aking gusto ay legislation sapagkat inaakala ko, kung nasa Senado ako mapapabilis ko siguro at siguro, mas marami ang energy ko roon ‘pag nag-senador ako (As I’ve said, if I will be in the Senate, I want legislation because I thought if I’ll be in the Senate it will be faster and maybe, I will have more energy if I am a Senator),” Marcoleta said.

“Pero ngayon, dalawa naman ang posisyon namin, baka kako ma-energize lalo, ano. So ‘yun ang sagot ko, ano. Hindi tayo nakikipaggitgitan (But now, we have two positions, maybe we will be more energized. So, that’s my answer. I am not pushing for myself),” he added.

Marcoleta believes the next DOE chief should amend existing laws, particularly those allowing large power firms to take advantage and profit from systems loss charging fees.

Among these current laws are the Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Act of 1994 and the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

He noted that whoever will be appointed as Energy chief will have a huge role in solving the country’s power crisis.

“Hindi lang naman kasi ‘yung tungkol doon sa generation na pinag-uusapan, eh. Mga problema sa transmission at gan’un din sa distribution, marami talagang dapat na mareporma diyan at kailangan isa-isahing matukoy at kailangan talagang makabayan kung sino man ang kaniyang matutukoy at mahirang na kalihim ng Department of Energy (We are not talking about the generation only. The problems in transmission and distribution, there are many reforms needed there and we need to focus on each one and whoever will be appointed as Department of Energy secretary should be patriotic),” he said.