INQUIRER FILE
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that sets the socialized pricing mechanism or electricity lifeline rates for the poor “for a period of 50 years.”
On May 27, Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11552, a copy of which made public Monday, amending Section 73 of the Electricity Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (Epira).
In 2011, the Epira law’s “lifeline rate for qualified marginalized end-users” was extended for 10 years or until 2021.
The Epira law provides for the lifeline rate or a subsidized rate to low-income households or those below the poverty line who cannot afford to pay at full cost.
In particular, these are households with monthly consumption of 100-kilowatt hours or less.
Qualified household beneficiaries are those under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and those who have been certified by their respective distribution utilities based on criteria set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).