Senate Committee on Energy chairperson Senator Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday said he would prioritize pushing for the removal or reform of "systems loss" charges imposed on electricity consumers, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s statement in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that such costs should not be passed on to the public.

During an interview on DZRH's Dos Por Dos, Tulfo said existing provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) contain significant loopholes that allow the continued collection of systems loss charges from consumers.

"Mabilis ito... dahil galing na mismo sa Pangulo na ayaw niya ng system loss dahil parang kawawa rito ang nagbabayad tayong taumbayan, ang consumer na hindi naman nating napapakinabangan," he said.

He said the Senate Committee on Energy would review the law to determine possible amendments aimed at addressing the issue.

The senator also said the panel would study measures to strengthen the powers of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to enable stricter oversight of power generation companies and electricity distribution utilities.

Marcos, in his SONA on Monday, said consumers should no longer bear the burden of systems loss charges, signaling the administration's support for reforms in the country's power sector.

Watch the full interview: