The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) extending the subsidy provided to marginalized electricity end-users under the lifeline program.
In a statement, ERC said the IRR on Republic Act (RA) 11552 was signed on October 28.
RA 11552 is also known as An Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate, Amending for the Purpose Section 73 of RA No. 9136, or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.
The regulatory body said the signing of the IRR will ensure the fair and equitable implementation of the lifeline subsidy among qualified marginalized electricity end-users.
Under Section 1 of RA No. 11552, further amending Section 73 of the EPIRA, as amended by RA No. 10150, the pe
riod of 20 years was further extended to 50 years which allows marginalized electricity end-users to continue to benefit from the subsidy provided under the lifeline program.
As of the first semester of the year, the lifeline program provided an average monthly subsidy of P541 million to almost six million marginalized electricity end-users in the entire country with actual discounts varying for each distribution utility, ERC said.
Under the partnership of the three organizations, DOE is tasked to formulate and promulgate policy guidelines deemed necessary to ensure that the law and its IRR are being lawfully implemented.
DSWD will provide the list of qualified household-beneficiaries nationwide using a standard targeting system to ensure a uniform and objective procedure of identifying potential beneficiaries.
It is also mandated to submit an annual list of qualified household-beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
ERC will determine the new lifeline level and provide criteria for qualifications of a marginalized end-user to avail of lifeline discount rates and monitor compliance to the implementation of the program, among others. – Jed Macapagal
