Meralco consumers urge Cayetano, Velasco: Think of us too

MANILA — Household consumers of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), together with the Power for People Coalition (P4P), Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), and Sanlakas on Tuesday called on Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and House Energy Committee Chairman Lord Allan Velasco to take action as the no-disconnection deadline for “bill shock” loomed closer.

Meralco has set Oct. 31 as the last day of its grace period and will commence the disconnection of households unable to pay their massive bills incurred during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period.

“We have heard Cayetano and Velasco talk about so many things in their jockeying for the Speakership, even their birthdays, but we have yet to hear from them talk about what they will do for the thousands of households unable to pay their massive Meralco bills from the bill shock period. Despite the hearings, consumers are still waiting for concrete action from Congress. There is a looming crisis of much of Metro Manila going dark when classes are online and when most people are forced to work from their homes. We ask Congress, as our elected representatives, to make this their priority,” said Gerry Arances, P4P Convenor.

The call was made during a press conference, where the groups presented their call for a moratorium on bills incurred during the ECQ period, and their online petition called #TigilBayad, which they will present to Congress and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

“Walang mawawala sa Meralco kung magbibigay sila ng palugit. Pero kami, pag nawalan ng kuryente, hindi na makakapag-aral, mahihirapang maghanap buhay, at lalong hindi makakabayad. Hiling lang naming, tamang singil at sapat na panahon para bayaran ito,” said Nimfa Cachila of the Bayabas Village Neighborhood Association in Nangka, Marikina.

(Meralco won’t lose anything by extending the disconnection deadline. But if we lose our source of electricity, we won’t be able to study, we’ll have a hard time doing work, and will not be able to pay our bills. Our request is to give us enough time to pay the correct bills.)

Meralco bills during the ECQ earned the ire of almost all stakeholders, prompting a hearing in the House of Representatives on the matter, alongside hearings in the Senate.

“While consumers are still waiting for concrete action from Congress, what needs to be emphasized in this Meralco Bill shock is that expensive electricity rates are sourced out from 7 coal-fired power plants with power supply agreements that passed through ERC. There is a problem with the opaque pricing mechanism on how ERC and Meralco came out with the generation rates. Obviously, there is no truth to what they, Meralco, and other generation companies say that coal is cheap. It has never been cheap. It is costly, deadly, and dirty. If we allow these plants to operate, a great amount of GHG emission from the total 3,219 MW will further mess up the climate. We challenge Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and House Energy Committee Chairman Lord Allan Velasco that these 7 PSAs be investigated on the grounds of abetting the bill shock and climate harm. We demand to ERC to reveal to Meralco Consumers why these contracts are not open to consumer scrutiny. These seven PSA contracts of Meralco should be investigated.” said Ian Rivera, PMCJ National Coordinator.

The groups called for fair electricity rates, a more flexible payment scheme, a return of all pending refunds, reforms in Meralco billing practices, and an independent audit of the distribution utility to ascertain the actual fair burden consumers must bear during the recession.

“The intramurals over who should be Speaker of the House is casting a long shadow over the plight of Meralco consumers who will bear the yoke of Meralco’s sky-high power costs. What is relevant to electric consumers is not who holds power in the House but how Congress can ensure immediate relief to millions in the time of COVID. They bicker over their Oct. 14 power sharing deadline, while families worry about being buried neck deep in Meralco’s Bill shock after Oct. 31. Tama na, sobra na!” said Aaron Pedrosa, Secretary General of Sanlakas.