Meralco denies profiting from convenience fees

Inquirer file photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) clarified on Monday that it does not earn a dime if customers choose to settle their bills online, refuting claims made by a lawmaker over the weekend.

The company released a statement in reaction to “inaccurate reports” questioning the convenience fees it was supposedly charging its customers.

READ: Lawmaker urges Meralco to stop imposing ‘convenience’ fees

“We would like to reiterate that there is no charge if customers use Bayad e-wallet and that convenience fees for other providers go to our payment partners,” said Joe Zaldarriaga, vice president and corporate communications head of Meralco.

“We do not earn a single centavo from these convenience fees, contrary to what was inaccurately stated,” he added.

Customers paying their electricity bills through mobile wallets GCash and Maya pay an additional P6 and P7 for convenience fees, respectively. Visa, Mastercard and JCB cards, on the other hand, charge P15.

On Sunday, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel criticized Meralco for charging customers who pay online a P15 convenience fee, saying its payment partner, CIS Bayad Center, was actually 95 percent owned by the power distributor. He also urged the Energy Regulatory Commission to look into the matter.

Meralco said these convenience fees allow it and its partners to maintain a secure and reliable online payment platform.

However, it pointed out that its consumers could also tap other payment options.