Former Bohol governor and now the first nominee of Murang Kuryente Partylist, Arthur C. Yap is advocating for urgent reforms to improve the country’s power reliability and national irrigation system.
In the Bakit Ikaw: The DZRH Job Interview on Friday, Yap emphasized how electricity costs, energy infrastructure, and agriculture are closely intertwined in the broader picture of national food and energy security.
“Noong congressman po ako, naging chairman po ako ng economic affairs. Napag-aralan ko rin po yung isyu na ‘yan. Lalo na sa agriculture talagang magkasama ang isyu ng power reliability at food security,” he said.
Expanding irrigation and using solar energy
One of Yap's priorities is expanding the country’s irrigated land, which he said currently covers only about 60% of potential areas.
“Kapag pinalad tayong makabalik sa Kongreso, tutulungan natin ang national irrigation. Tsaka importante sa solar power iyon,” Yap said.
He stressed the role of solar energy in supporting rural irrigation projects, particularly for drying crops and improving productivity.
Furthermore, Yap emphasized that 81% of the country’s energy currently comes from imported fuel, which makes electricity prices expensive and unreliable.
Yap believed that for the prices of electricity to drop the energy mix must change.
“Hindi bababa [ang presyo ng kuryente] kung hindi natin i-diversify ang sources ng kuryente,” he claimed.
Yap pushed for a stronger shift to renewable energy sources, including solar, tidal, and geothermal power, as well as re-opening discussions about a national nuclear energy program.
“Ang iba sinasabi delikado [ang nuclear], pero bakit yung Taiwan laging binabagyo, nililindol, pero meron silang nuclear power program — ang Korea din,” citing countries like Taiwan and South Korea as successful examples despite their natural disaster risks,” he stressed.
Addressing the long period of processing energy investments and permits
Meanwhile, Yap noted how bureaucratic red tape delays energy development, pointing to a 20-megawatt solar power plant in Bohol that took just six months to build but two years to secure permits.
“Ang haba ng pagkuha ng permit… We have to shorten everything,” he said, proposing a 15-day rule where unacted applications would be considered approved.
He also supports empowering households to produce their own electricity using rooftop solar panels and making it easier for them to do so.
Innovative use of aid funds or ‘ayuda’
Yap, in coordination with Murang Kuryente Partylist is suggesting to redirect a portion of the P500 billion government aid budget directly into electricity discounts for qualified consumers.
“Baka naman yung ayuda pwede ng i-diretso sa electric billing ng qualified beneficiaries as a discount,” he firmly explained.
This would eliminate long lines and favoritism and reduce government costs on distribution logistics.
According to their estimates, a discount of P24,000 annually could benefit around 4 million families, up to 8 million families could benefit from annual discounts of P12,000 on their power bills.
Possible proposed long-term goals
Moreover, Yap also recommends revisiting laws that allow private power companies to deduct 6% from system losses, suggesting that reducing this allowance by even 1% per year could help lower prices.
“Kung gusto natin immediately i-lower natin ang systems laws, kasi sa systems law ngayon pag private authority kayo you are allowed to deduct 6%. Baka naman kapag every year bawasan natin ng 1% tingnan lang natin,” said Yap.
He advocates for setting up free public charging stations for communities in need.
“Magpatayo din tayo ng free charging stations where it’s really needed,” Yap added.
Yap called on voters to elect leaders who understand legislation.
“Ang trabaho po ng isang kongresista repasuhin ang batas, magsulat ng batas, mag-amend ng batas, mag-modify ng batas. Ang hamon ngayong kilalanin ang tumatakbo,” he affirmed.
With his track record in both local and national government, Yap vision through Murang Kuryente seeks not just lower power bills but also to address the country’s ongoing energy and agriculture challenges.
