Several highly-placed sources are already hinting at the names of potential successors in the posts vacated at the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) – including the coveted chairmanship following the submission of irrevocable resignation of outgoing ERC Chairperson Monalisa C. Dimalanta.

An insider with close knowledge of the matter has indicated that a lawyer currently stationed at the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan is poised to step into a role at the ERC - though it is not certain if he will ascend to the chairmanship or he will be named one of the Commissioners.

“One of the assigned officials in MECO will likely be named to a post at the ERC because his current position might go to former Secretary Jay Ruiz, who’s been given a new assignment after his stint with the Presidential Communications Office,” the source noted.

That ERC contender, as disclosed by the source, served as a CEO at an energy company owned by a businessman-politician who acquired one of the National Power Corporation's (NPC) major thermal plants through the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp’s divestment, while also overseeing a power firm that served the electricity needs of Zamboanga. He also held an executive role at the Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation (PNOC-EC).

A separate source similarly dropped a clue that one of the candidates being vetted on is a former National Power Corporation (NPC) executive, who is now aligned with a law firm founded by a former Energy Undersecretary who also held the reins as NPC President and CEO – and the firm’s legal advisory work included a key power utility in Iloilo.

Industry whispers further hinted that former ERC officer-in-charge and Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres may return to the regulatory fold; however, other sources indicate that he may be inclined to remain at the Department of Justice (DOJ), especially with the possibility that his boss, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, may be reassigned to another top-tier judicial post.

The very short stint of Andres at the ERC last year earned praises from the industry and the ERC employees because he accomplished so much while at the Commission, including addressing backlogs on the issuance of certificates of compliance (COCs) for the continued operation of power plants all over the country.

Another name circulating as a potential ERC hopeful is a Deputy Executive Secretary, who is seen as a seasoned strategist frequently tasked with navigating the labyrinth of inter-agency coordination; while the other hopefuls are current officials and executives at various organizations in the energy sector, including a former Energy Undersecretary and current official at the DOE.

As of press time, industry sources emphasized that they are not yet certain who will eventually be named as Chairperson of the ERC, and who among the reported candidates will fill the other two positions vacated by Commissioners Alexis Lumbatan and Catherine Maceda, who retired last July 10.

At this stage, however, power sector stakeholders are growing increasingly concerned about the looming lack of quorum at the ERC—a critical gap that threatens to stall regulatory approvals; thus, they are urgently calling on the Office of the President to expedite the appointment of a new Chair and Commissioners, fearing that further delays could unduly disrupt investment activities in the sector.

Several crucial matters, including the tariff-setting for reserve prices in the upcoming green energy auction (GEA), still hang in the balance—and these critical decisions could be in limbo if the vacancies at the ERC persist any longer.