By Iris Gonzales (The Philippine Star) | Updated March 5, 2014 - 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) will refund power consumers who have paid the deferred electricity charges as indicated in its enhanced billing statements. The deferred charges were the subject of the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court in December on the P4.15 per kilowatt-hour power rate hike the power company sought to implement.
In a letter dated March 3 to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Meralco said it would refund its customers who may have been confused with the deferred amount component of the enhanced bill.
“We recognize the recent feedback concerning the issues on the deferred amount and total amount due for payment. This March 2014 billing, the deferred amount will no longer be included in the total amount due and an advisory will clarify and inform customers on what amounts to pay,” Meralco said in the letter.
“For customers who paid the deferred amount, Meralco will implement a refund equivalent to the same amount as credit to the bill starting March 2014. They will be advised that the refunded amount representing a portion of their December 2013 bill may still be subjected to adjustments upon final resolution of the SC TRO,” it said.
The ERC earlier called the attention of Meralco after enhancements in its billing statements created confusion among its customers.
In the enhanced billing statements issued to customers, Meralco put a deferred payment component, which is the difference between the amount originally billed for December and the amount actually paid by the customer after the SC issued the TRO.
It said it has no intention to confuse or mislead consumers into paying the amount covered by the TRO, as it expressed regret for the confusion that the inclusion of the deferred amount may have caused.
Meralco’s December bill was supposed to be P9.10 per kwh, earlier approved to be collected in three installments.
But the TRO prompted Meralco to peg the December bill at P5.67 per kwh or equivalent to the November bill.
The issue has yet to be resolved.
Meralco’s new petition opposed
Representatives of party-list group Akbayan are opposing Manila Electric Company (Meralco)’s new rate increase petition filed with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
Meralco wants to increase its generation charge by 84 centavos per kilowatt-hour starting with next month’s billing to recover fuel costs amounting to over P2 billion, and 74 centavos for five months starting in April.
The adjustments are on top of the P4.15 per kwh hike the Supreme Court has frozen in December by issuing a restraining order.
Akbayan filed its opposition yesterday with the ERC, whose chairman, former Pampanga Rep. Zenaida Ducut, it wants ousted.
The group has lodged an administrative complaint against Ducut with the Office of the President.
Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello said they are opposing Meralco’s new filing, noting the generation charges – which Meralco sought to pass on to its customers – are the result of the same collusion, abuse of market power and manipulation of prices in the wholesale electricity spot market.
“Meralco’s plan to burden the consumers with a new round of rate hike amid an ongoing battle regarding the legality of its proposed record high P4.15 power rate hike betrays its lack of empathy toward their customers. This is the height of abuse and impunity. We will not allow it,” he said. – With Jess Diaz, Delon Porcalla source
