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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Gatchalian: Lotilla should be allowed to be DOE chief 

Gatchalian: Lotilla should be allowed to be DOE chief 

Published Jul 12, 2022 05:01 pm

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday, July 12 said Raphael Lotilla should be allowed to be the Department of Energy (DOE) chief. 

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)

Gatchalian, who served as the Senate Committee on Energy during the 18th Congress, said he will file a bill that would allow energy experts in the private sector to serve in government.

Lotilla is currently a director at Aboitiz Power and of ENEXOR, raising possible “conflict of interest” should he become the DOE chief. 

Under Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7638 “no officer, external auditor, accountant, or legal counsel of any private company or enterprise primarily engaged in the energy industry shall be eligible for appointment as Secretary within two years from his retirement, resignation, or separation therefrom.”

Gatchalian, said this provision bars the government from tapping experts from the energy sector, eventually putting the government at a disadvantage.

A lot of the “good ones” actually work in a good private company. Due to the deregulated environment, most of them work at the academe, and the private sector.

“There’s only a handful of energy experts in the country,” Gatchalian said in an interview on ANC Headstart.

“This field is very specialized and the learning curve is very steep and a lot of the good ones actually work for the private companies so the government is actually at a disadvantage status if we don’t allow experts from private companies to join in,” he said.

Gatchalian said he will come up with a proposal relaxing this provision so that government can get experts from the private sector and address possible “conflict of interest.”

“I will file a bill, making sure that it’s balanced,” the senator said.

If an official holds a non-executive position, Gatchalian said they should be allowed to participate in government.

“Because, again, the wealth of expertise in the private sector is something we can tap into. So that’s the direction that I’m thinking,” he said.

Gatchalian earlier welcomed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s move to nominate Lotilla to the DOE chief post.

Related Tags

Raphael Lotilla energy sector Department of Energy (DOE) Sherwin Gatchalian
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