President Marcos Jr. vetoed the expansion of the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company
The proposed measure expanding the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company was rejected by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
Press Secretary Rose Beatrix Cruz-Angeles said Marcos vetoed the proposed bill for a number of reasons, including its susceptibility to infringe on the North Davao Electric Cooperative's franchise coverage area.
Marcos said in his veto letter :
“While I recognize the prerogative of the Honorable Members of Congress and the laudable intent of the bill to further improve and develop access to electricity within the captive market of the expanded franchise area, I am constrained to veto the bill due to the susceptibility of the proposed expansion of the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company, Inc. to legal and/or constitutional challenge due to the apparent overlap and possible infringement into the subsisting franchise, permits, and contracts previously granted to North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc.”
The North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. now holds franchises in the extended franchise region that will last through 2028 and 2033, the president said.
“The bill runs counter to the provisions of Section 27 of Republic Act No. 9136 or the EPIRA mandating that ‘all existing franchises shall be allowed to their full term’,” Marcos said.
The Chief Executive noted that “the bill, while on its face, amends the franchise of another entity over the expanded area, is a prohibited collateral attack on North Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. franchise.”
“This is contrary to a jurisprudentially settled doctrine that a franchise cannot be subject to a ‘collateral attack’,” Marcos added to his veto message.
Marcos promised that despite his veto of the law, he would continue to work for the complete electrification of the Philippines, which he described as "essential to the welfare of our people and the sound growth of the nation."
Tags: #DavaoLightandPowerCompany, #President Marcos, #veto