Stop electricity disconnections, group asks gov’t

LUCENA CITY – The Power for People Coalition (P4P) on Tuesday urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to prohibit electricity disconnections amid the economic hardship Filipinos now face due to the high cost of living.

“It’s plain cruel to cut the electricity connection of any consumer who is unable to pay bills at this time,” P4P convenor Gerry Arances said in a statement, noting that the country is also experiencing dangerous heat index levels.

The coalition said price shocks in the global market for coal, gas, and oil are heavily affecting the Philippines due to its heavy reliance on imported fuels for energy needs.

Arances noted that in the first month of the ongoing war in the Middle East, coal prices rose by 17 percent, gas by 91 percent, and oil by 37 percent.

READ: PIDS: Energy crisis may push up to 3.1M Filipinos into poverty

“This could translate to an increase of at least P5.00 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in generation costs for the Meralco franchise area in the coming months,” Arances said.

He added that higher electricity costs are driving up the already soaring prices of basic commodities.

“And there’s no indication that this war-driven economic crisis will end in the near future,” he said.

The P4P urged the government to protect consumers from rising fuel costs, which are automatically passed on and eventually reflected in electricity bills.

“There has been public clamor over subsidies shouldered by consumers as electricity rates soar, and it is understandable. We should be vigilant about why our government and power companies themselves refuse to shoulder the necessary support for poor and vulnerable sectors,” Arances said.

He also assailed that “the largest pass-through costs are hidden in the generation charge in our electricity bill.”

Meralco consumers have taken to social media to complain about noticeable increases in their power bills, with some blaming the senior citizen discount and the lifeline subsidy that supports low-income households, including beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

The 4Ps is the government’s flagship anti-poverty program that provides cash assistance to low-income families.

The P4P has also initiated an online petition on www.change.org, calling on the ERC, the Department of Energy, and the national government to implement a no-disconnection policy immediately.

“Stop all electricity disconnections for those who are unable to pay bills amid the energy crisis. Implement grace periods and flexible payment schemes,” the group said.

Change.org is a popular website that hosts public petitions.

The P4P also called for a halt to rate increases and the prohibition of pass-through fuel costs during the crisis, which, according to the group, “far exceed the supposed least-cost pricing committed by companies in their power contracts.”

The group further urged authorities to hold companies accountable for abusive charges and practices.

“Closely monitor, investigate, and prohibit excessive charges in any component of our electricity bill, and hold all abusive companies accountable,” the coalition said.

For P4P, electricity is “not just a business but also a public service.”

The group noted that it is the duty of the ERC, the Department of Energy, and the government “to protect the welfare of ordinary citizens and to ensure affordable and reliable electricity for all, especially in times of crisis.”

READ: ERC suspends power spot market operations amid energy crisis

“The ERC, as the country’s regulatory body for the power sector, can already implement a no-disconnection policy without waiting for orders from the executive branch—an action it has taken in previous crises,” the P4P said./coa