The government has extended until the end of the year the deadline for the registration of household beneficiaries listed under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to the electricity lifeline rate program.
A tripartite advisory of the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Social Welfare and Development said a considerable number of qualified marginalized end-users is yet to register.
DOE data as of August 30 showed 47,171 households have registered, up 265.7 percent from end-July ’s 12,900. But that it is still a very small fraction of the 4.2 million total registered 4Ps nationwide.
Unregistered beneficiaries were supposed to cease enjoying discounted power rates starting this month.
The DOE noted 4Ps beneficiaries need to apply and register with their distribution utilities (DUs) or electric cooperatives to enjoy discounts, depending on prevailing rates.
The agency said for instance, lifeline end-users in the Manila Electric Co. franchise area with zero to 20 kilowatt-hours of monthly consumption will be granted a 100- percent discount on generation charges, including system loss, transmission and distribution components of their bill except for the fixed metering charge of P5, which means they will only be paying more or less P20 in their electric bills.
Other marginalized end-user applicants who are not in the 4Ps beneficiaries but belong to a household of at least five members and have a combined monthly income of P12,030, must submit to their DUs a certification by their local Social Welfare Development Office issued within six months before the filing of the application showing their family income at the time of application, a duly accomplished form, most recent electricity bill and any government-issued ID containing the signature and address of the consumer.
The DOE said the monthly income threshold may also change and vary for each DU franchise area as may be determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority. -Jed Macapagal
