‘Murang Kuryente,’ service charge bills await Duterte’s approval

MANILA, Philippines — A bill seeking to lower electricity rates for consumers and another allowing hotel, restaurant, and other workers to receive 100 percent of the service charge await President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval.

The House ratified Wednesday the reconciled versions of House Bill No. 8869 and Senate Bill No. 1950 or the “Murang Kuryente Act” during its plenary session. The Senate did the same on Tuesday.

The measure aims to tap some P207 billion from the Malampaya Fund to pay off the stranded contract costs and stranded debt of the National Power Corporation (NPC) charged to the monthly electric bills of consumers through universal charges.

READ: ‘Murang Kuryente’ Act gets Senate nod

Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco earlier said the rollout of the measure would “translate to a savings of P172 per household who consumes an average of 200KwH per month.”

Meanwhile, the House ratified also on Wednesday the harmonized versions of House Bill No. 8784 and Senate Bill No. 1299. The upper chamber did the same on Tuesday.

READ: Senate ratifies service charge bill

The proposed law requires employers to give 100 percent of the service charge they collect to workers of hotels and other establishments.

Sen. Joel Villanueva, Senate committee on labor chairperson, earlier said that only 85 percent of the collected service charges are given to employees. The management gets the remaining 15 percent.

The “Murang Kuryente” and service charge bills could now be transmitted to the President for his consideration. (Editor: Eden Estopace)