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Energy
BillSBN-109020th Congress

Amending R.A. No. 7638 (Department of Energy Act of 1992)

In committee Filed Aug 7, 2025
◷ Where it standsIn Committee
FiledCommittee2nd Reading3rd ReadingBicamEnacted

Filed on August 7, 2025, and referred to the Committee on Energy; it has been pending in committee since then with no recorded action.

Should you care?
Relevance to you
Moderate

This bill impacts the appointment process for the Secretary of Energy, which is crucial for energy policy and governance.

Department of EnergyEnergy industry participantsPotential appointees to the DOE
Timeliness
Timely

The bill addresses the need for qualified leadership in the energy sector, which is increasingly important as energy issues become more complex.

Affects you ifEnergy industry professionalsGovernment appointeesEnergy policy stakeholders
Impact assessment
AI read — verify with source
Overall impact
3.4/ 10
Long title

Amending R.A. No. 7638 (Department of Energy Act of 1992)

Plain-language summary
AI Summary

This bill amends the Department of Energy Act of 1992 to change the eligibility criteria for the Secretary of the Department of Energy, allowing individuals with prior industry experience to be appointed while ensuring transparency and conflict of interest safeguards.

What this bill actually requires
RequiresThe Secretary must publicly disclose any prior involvement with energy industry participants within the last five years.
RequiresThe Secretary must divest any interests in energy industry participants before appointment.
RequiresThe Secretary must terminate any directorship or employment with energy industry participants before appointment.
DeadlineThis Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
ⓘ AI-generated — verify with the source.↗ Official Senate PDF
What changes from current law

Compared with current law:

Today

The Secretary of the Department of Energy must not have any prior connection to the energy industry for two years before appointment.

This bill

The Secretary can have prior connections but must disclose them and divest any interests before appointment.

ⓘ AI-generated comparison — verify against the bill and the cited law.
Ask this bill

The bill allows individuals with prior connections to the energy industry to be appointed as Secretary of the Department of Energy, provided they disclose their connections and divest any interests in the industry.

Source · full text
Issue areas
EnergyEnergy policyDepartment of EnergyConflict of interestEnergy industrySecretary of Energy

✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.

Legislative history
Aug 7, 2025Senate
Introduced by Senator WIN T. GATCHALIAN;
Sep 9, 2025Senate
Read on First Reading and Referred to the Committee on ENERGY;
✦ AI insight

Stalled: the bill has sat in the committee for over a month with no action since its referral on September 9, 2025.

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Floor activity

No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.

Full text
SBN-1090 — verbatim textAs filed

- Simate in of tie So cater TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 25 AUE -7 P1 22 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED BY: S.B. No. 1090 Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7638 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACT OF 1992 EXPLANATORY NOTE There are few industries more technical in nature than the energy industry where the steep learning curve is overcome not only by sheer capability and knowledge but by experience and exposure. The Secretary, as the head of the Department of Energy (DOE), is tasked with the implementation of the overall energy policy of the country! and supervision of all energy related programs, projects and activities and is thus expected to have a deep understanding of the energy industry. This measure seeks to remove the prohibitive provision which makes persons otherwise having the required knowledge and experience ineligible for appointment as Secretary of the DOE, while still safeguarding against conflicts of interest by mandating the (1) public disclosure of prior involvement or connection with any energy industry participant, the (2) divestment of any and all interests in any energy industry participant, and (3) termination of any directorship, employment, consultancy, contract of service or any connection with any energy participant. 1 Section 5(a) of Republic Act No. 7638. 2 Section 5(d) of Republic Act No. 7638.

This bill therefore endeavors to ensure that qualified knowledgeable and experienced persons are eligible to lead the DOE without conflicts of interest. Given the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is sought. - Зачино WIN GATCHALIAN

Sciate Online of the se sminer TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) First Regular Session ) 25 AUG -7 P1:22 S. B. No. SENA 090 RECEIVED BY: Introduced by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7638 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACT OF 1992 Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 8 of Republic Act No. 7638 is hereby amended to read as

follows: "SECTION 8. The Secretary. - The Secretary shall be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Commission on Appointments. [No officer, external auditor, accountant, or legal counsel of any private company or enterprise primarily engaged in the energy industry shall be eligible for appointment as Secretary within two (2) years from his retirement, resignation, or separation therefrom.] THE SECRETARY SHALL, UPON APPOINTMENT: A) PUBLICLY DISCLOSE THE FOLLOWING: (i) ANY DIRECTORSHIP, EMPLOYMENT, CONSULTANCY, CONTRACT OF SERVICE,

PECUNIARY CONNECTION WITH, OR INTEREST IN ANY ENERGY INDUSTRY PARTICIPANT IN THE PAST FIVE (5) YEARS PRIOR TO THE APPOINTMENT; (ii) IF A SPOUSE, PARTNER, AND ANY RELATIVE BY CONSANGUINITY OR AFFINITY WITHIN THE FOURTH CIVIL DEGREE IS A DIRECTOR, OFFICER, EMPLOYEE, CONSULTANT, OR HAS A CONTRACT OF SERVICE, ANY CONNECTION, OR PECUNIARY INTEREST IN ANY ENERGY PARTICIPANT IN THE PAST FIVE (5) YEARS PRIOR TO THE APPOINTMENT; B) DIVEST, THROUGH SALE OR LEGAL DISPOSITION, ANY AND ALL INTERESTS IN ANY ENERGY INDUSTRY PARTICIPANT; AND C) TERMINATE ANT DIRECTORSHIP, EMPLOYMENT, CONSULTANCY, CONTRACT OF SERVICE, OR ANY CONNECTION WITH ANY ENERGY INDUSTRY PARTICIPANT. XXX"

SECTION 2. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be held

unconstitutional, no other provision hereof shall be affected thereby.

SECTION 3. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,

Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.