IATF: ‘Lifeline consumers’ get free electricity for March, April billing periods

MANILA, Philippines — “Lifeline consumers” or those who consume less than 50 kilowatt per hour will not be paying for electricity charges for the March and April billing periods, the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases announced Wednesday.

IATF spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said this aims to help 3 million consumers nationwide.

“Sa mga kababayan nating komukonsumo ng mas mababa sa 50 kilowatt per hour o yung mga tinatawag na ‘lifeline consumers’ ng mga electric cooperative dito sa Luzon, maging sa Visayas at Mindanao – maliban sa isang buwang grace period sa pagbabayad ng kuryente – libre na po ang inyong konsumo sa loob ng March to April billing period,” Nograles said in a virtual briefing.

(Our countrymen who consume less than 50 kilowatt per hour or whom we call ‘lifeline consumers’ of electric cooperative in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, apart from a one-month grace period, what you consumed under your March to April billing period is now free.)

“Target na tulungan ng Pantawid Liwanag ang tatlong milyong mahihirap na consumer ng mga electric cooperative,” he added.

(Pantawid Liwanag aims to help three million poor consumers of electric cooperatives.)

Power firms have given their customers a one-month moratorium in the payment of charges following the imposition of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine. Nograles added the Department of Energy (DOE) has assured that there is an excess capacity of power in Luzon.

“As for the power demands in Luzon, the Department of Energy reports that we have an available capacity of 11,795 MW, which is greater than the actual peak demand of 7,323 MW in Luzon,” Nograles said.

DOE earlier assured stable power supply as millions of Luzon residents are to stay at home during the lockdown.

/MUF