July 6, 2021
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11571
AN ACT ENHANCING THE POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL ENERGY COMMISSION, FURTHER AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 62 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9136, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY REFORM ACT OF 2001," AS AMENDED
SECTION 1.Short Title. — This Act shall be referred to as the "JCEC Enhancement Act."
SECTION 2.Term of the Joint Congressional Energy Commission. — Section 62 of Republic Act No. 9136, otherwise known as the "Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001," as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 62.Joint Congressional Energy Commission. —
"xxx xxx xxx
"The Energy Commission shall adopt its internal rules of procedures; conduct hearings and receive testimonies, reports and technical advice; invite or summon by subpoena ad testificandum any public official, private citizen or any other person to testify before it, or require any person by subpoena duces tecum to produce before it...
Enhancing the Powers and Functions of the Joint Congressional Energy Commission
- Amends Section 62 of Republic Act No. 9136 (Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001) [Section 2]
- Grants the Joint Congressional Energy Commission (JCEC) the following powers:
• Adopt internal rules of procedures [Section 2]
• Conduct hearings, receive testimonies, reports, and technical advice [Section 2]
• Invite or summon by subpoena ad testificandum any public official, private citizen, or any other person to testify [Section 2]
• Require by subpoena duces tecum the production of records, reports, documents, or other materials [Section 2]
• Exercise all powers necessary to attain its purposes [Section 2]
- Provides for a secretariat to assist the JCEC, headed by an executive director with relevant background and competence [Section 2]
- Allocates an initial sum of Twenty-five million pesos (P25,000,000.00) from the current appropriations of the Senate for the JCEC's operations, with subsequent funding to be included in the annual General Appropriations Act [Section 2]
Jurisdiction of the Joint Congressional Energy Commission
- The JCEC shall exercise oversight functions in the implementation of all existing energy laws at the time of the effectivity of this Act, such as but not limited to:
• Presidential Decree No. 87 (The Oil Exploration and Development Act of 1972) [Section 3]
• Presidential Decree No. 972 (The Coal Development Act of 1976) [Section 3]
• Republic Act No. 8479 (The Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998) [Section 3]
- Excludes Republic Act No. 9367 (The Biofuels Act of 2006) from the JCEC's jurisdiction [Section 3]
Other Provisions
- Separability Clause [Section 4]
- Repealing Clause [Section 5]
- Effectivity Clause: The Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in one (1) newspaper of general circulation [Section 6]