The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) should recall its motion for partial reconsideration on the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) directive to provide a retail rate discount to lifeline customers, according to Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on energy.
“The discount is important… It will not go to the government but to the people. (Meralco) should look at this as part of their corporate social responsibility instead… P19 million is not even commensurate with the confusion experienced by the public. They should just pursue the instructions of ERC and treat it as a learning process,” Gatchalian said in a briefing.
Meralco sought for a reconsideration on ERC’s order to give a retail rate discount to 2.77 million lifeline consumers that could reach P240 million.
Meanwhile, the Power for People Coalition also urged Meralco to implement the no-disconnection order of ERC.
The group also sought for the immediate refund of P28.5 billion in bill and meter deposits as well as another P19 billion in unreturned funds from the 2003 refund order of the Supreme Court.
