BAYAN Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Monday slammed the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) for allegedly prioritizing profit even during this time of pandemic by increasing its electricity rates.
“While Meralco refused to waive the one-month electricity bill for consumers, it is at the same time crucifying the consumers with another power rate hike during this time of crisis caused by COVID-19,” Zarate said in a statement.
Meralco rates increased to P8.9951 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the month of April from ₱8.8901 per kWh in March, which roughly translates to a ₱21 increase in the total bill of a typical household consuming 200 kWh a month. For this month, Meralco slashed the rate to P8.7468 per kWh because of low demand in Metro Manila amid the enhanced community quarantine.
Zarate said questioned the ₱0.105 per kWh increase which Meralco attributed to the normalization of the universal charge rate.
“This is questionable that is why we want these universal charges, among them the missionary (electrification) charges, investigated because seemingly it is being manipulated to justify the increase in power rates,” he said.
The left-leaning lawmaker said while Meralco is also hiding behind generation companies whenever rates are increased, some of these companies are also owned by Meralco.
“It is obvious that Meralco still want more profits even it means more suffering to consumers,” Zarate said.
Bayan Muna chair Neri Colmenares said that “it is quite ironic that the supposed small-time electric cooperatives are the ones stepping up and are willing to waive the one-month electricity bill of the poorest or lifeline consumers.”
“If Meralco is still so profit-driven, then the least it can do together with other gencos is to waive at least the electricity bills also of their lifeline consumers and defer the payment of electric bills for at least two months for the others. Another option is to deduct at least P500 from the electricity bills of all customers for two months,” he added.
Power for People Coalition (P4P), a clean energy and consumer rights group, said Meralco also has to explain the sudden jump in consumption reported by some consumers who also suffered from more power interruptions during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
The group noted that Meralco had 52 tripping events since May 6 and some consumers discovered increases in recorded consumption by as much as three times during the ECQ as reflected in their bills.
“We cannot help but feel that Meralco is using the ECQ as a convenient scapegoat to cover up their shortcomings. While it is understandable that people at home will consume more electricity, it is incredible that consumption would increase three or four more times in just a month. And it is unbelievable that when malls, factories, offices, and other large electrical consumers are closed, Meralco’s grid is suddenly incapable of coping with the demand,” said P4P convenor Gerry Arances.
The group called on the Energy Regulatory Commission to investigate the matter as people continue to endure the enforced lockdown due to the ECQ.
“People are already very stressed due to the ECQ. They are worried about their jobs, feeding their families, paying the rent, and paying for utilities. The least Meralco can do is deliver the service consumers overpaid for,” said Arances.
Under Republic Act No. 11469, or the Bayanihan Heal as One Act, payments for utilities and rent for residential units are suspended while the quarantine is in force.
