THE Department of Energy (DoE) wants the volume of electricity traded on the spot market to increase by encouraging more private entities to put up merchant power plants, or those without an approved power supply agreement (PSA).

After more than two decades and several failed attempts, the bicameral committee finally approved draft legislation increasing the paid maternity leave benefit for working women. To be called the “105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law” if enacted, it will amend Republic Act No. 7322 of 1992, which at present entitles mothers to paid leave of 60 days for normal delivery or 78 days for caesarian section delivery.

THE SENATE COMMITTEE on public services on Monday approved in principle the granting of a 25-year legislative franchise to MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and provided for a transition period to replace the incumbent, Panay Electric Co. (PECO) as the sole power distributor in Iloilo City.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11089 granting the Villar Group’s Streamtech Systems Technologies Inc. a telecommunications franchise for 25 years.

THE DEPARTMENT of Finance (DoF) has sought the assistance of South Korea in implementing a value-added tax (VAT) refund system for visitors, as well as for environmental management support for the resort island of Siargao in Surigao del Norte.

AGRICULTURE Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said that the rebidding for unawarded lots in the first batch of rice imports will be conducted “right away” alongside the subsequent batches amounting to 500,000 metric tons.

A BILL strengthening the penalties for improperly employing foreign nationals and requiring them to transfer technology to Filipino employees has cleared the House Committee on Labor and Employment.

THE Department of Energy (DoE) said it reported to the police various government agencies that have failed to settle electricity bills owed to distribution utilities.

THE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will seek to redistribute frequency spectrum fairly among the telecommunications incumbents, PLDT, Inc. and Globe Telecom, Inc. and PLDT, Inc. as well as the new industry entrant, the so-called “third player.”

MALACAÑANG said the selection of a so-called “third player” for the telecommunications industry will be taken over by the Office of the President if a new entrant is not named by November.

THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said registered investments for new projects are expected to decline in 2018 but is hoping expansion proposals will help take up the slack.

THE Department of Energy (DoE) threatened to revoke the rights of Colossal Petroleum Corp. to a service area off the Palawan coast if it does not submit its work plan after winning Area 5 during the department’s last petroleum contracting round in 2014.