Group welcomes ERC extension of disconnection moratorium

LUCENA CITY – A national coalition of consumer groups on Thursday welcomed the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) decision to extend for three more months the suspension of electricity service disconnections covering consumers with unpaid power bills.

“This is the result of the collective action and persistent calls of consumers affected by high electricity prices, which the global energy crisis has worsened,” the Power for People Coalition (P4P) said in Filipino in a social media post.

ERC had directed all distribution utilities nationwide to suspend electricity service disconnections for customers with unpaid bills covering the August to October billing periods.

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READ: ERC extends suspension of power disconnections for 3 more months

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The commission said the order remains in effect under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s declaration of a state of national energy emergency to respond to tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran that drove global fuel prices higher.

The ERC also directed power distributors to offer flexible payment arrangements to help ease the financial burden on residential and non-residential consumers.

Households consuming 200 kilowatt-hours or less may settle their electricity bills through three monthly installments.

The commission had earlier imposed a similar suspension for the May to July billing periods and had directed power utilities to provide staggered payment schemes instead.

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“Hopefully, the next step will be to prohibit electricity rate increases for as long as the energy crisis continues,” the coalition said.

P4P, a network of consumer groups, people’s organizations, and civic movements advocating for clean, affordable, and accessible energy, held protest actions this week at the ERC headquarters and the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) in Pasig City.

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The coalition said many Filipino families continue to struggle with rising electricity bills, forcing them to choose between paying for power and meeting other basic household needs.

READ: Group presses ERC to probe Meralco billing, suspend rate hikes

Earlier, P4P campaigner Krishna Ariola urged the ERC to suspend electricity rate increases, citing the continuing effects of the global energy crisis and the country’s dependence on fossil fuels.

“The impact of the global energy crisis on our economy, compounded by our continued reliance on fossil fuels, has become so severe that suspending service disconnections alone is no longer enough to protect consumers,” Ariola said.

P4P also renewed its call for the ERC to investigate complaints of alleged irregular electricity meter readings by Meralco, conduct a comprehensive audit of the company’s billing practices, and impose appropriate sanctions should violations be established.

The coalition said thousands of households have reported electricity bills that doubled or even tripled in recent months despite little or no increase in their power consumption.

Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor serving more than eight million customers, increased electricity rates for July, citing higher generation and fuel costs linked to tensions in the Middle East.

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Renewed hostilities involving the United States and Iran have again pushed global oil prices upward. In the Philippines, initial industry estimates indicate diesel prices could increase by P9 to P10 per liter, while gasoline prices may rise by P3.50 to P4.50 per liter in the coming weeks./coa