To ERC: Mitigate impact of piled up electricity rates through staggered payment

By: Win Gatchalian April 15, 2020 at 1:35 am PHT
http://wingatchalian.com/news/to-erc-mitigate-impact-of-piled-up-electricity-rates-through-staggered-payment/

COVID-19 pandemic at sunset, 25 March 2020. Senate Committee on Energy chairman Senator Win Gatchalian is prodding the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to look for solutions that will ease payment terms of consumers, such as the staggered payment of electricity bills. Photo by Mark Cayabyab/OS WIN GATCHALIAN

Gatchalian expressed his concern that ordinary Filipinos, especially those belonging to the marginalized sector, might not have the financial capacity to pay their two month-worth of electricity bills in full and therefore risk having their electricity disconnected.

The Senate Committee on Energy Chairman prods the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to look for solutions that will ease payment terms of consumers. He suggested to stagger the two months of electricity bills for not less than three months.

“Dahil nga marami sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi nakakapagtrabaho ngayon, lalo na yung mga ‘no work, no pay’, ang panawagan natin sa ERC ay gumawa ng hakbang para hindi sila maputulan ng kuryente,” Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian also appealed to Meralco to temporarily waive its convenience fee so that consumers may be able to pay their electricity bill using the company’s mobile app without extra charges. According to Meralco, consumers who pay via the said app will have to pay an additional P47 convenience fee.

“For humanitarian reasons, let’s think of ways that will make the lives of our kababayans better and alleviate their suffering as we face this pandemic,” he said.