The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has come up with a scheme to cut through red tape.

ERC Chairperson Zenaida Ducut said they have recently launched its Citizen’s Charter, called the ERC Service Guide, in response to the directive of Malacañang to reduce bureaucracy in all government agencies.

She said the ERC Service Guide is in compliance with Republic Act No. 9485the Anti-Red Tape Act (ARTA) of 2007 signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo into law.

“Our Service Guide provides our walk-in customers a detailed procedure of the services we offer to the public,” Ducut said adding that the charter states the guaranteed performance level that an individual may expect from that particular department of the ERC.

“The phone numbers and e-mail addresses of concerned departments are also clearly provided to ease transactions,” Ducut said noting that since the ERC is a service-oriented agency, it should be efficient in providing services to the public.

“The ERC Service Guide’s launch is a concrete example that the ERC is moving closer and closer towards realizing the objectives of ERC @ 11 (ERC’s Medium-Term Plan dubbed “Effective Responsive Citizens by 2011’)," she said.

Ducut added that "with our agency attaining efficient operations, better and faster services are given to the public. We draw inspiration from our Vision – which is to become Asia’s benchmark of excellence in power regulation. The Vision illuminates the ERC workers in our undertaking of our Mission – which is to promote and protect long-term consumer interests in terms of quality, reliability and reasonable pricing of electricity.”

“I am happy that the ERC is already on its way to full compliance with the ARTA. In fact, the ERC was listed as one of the government agencies to have complied with the ARTA in the National Capital Region,” the ERC chief said.