Duterte to Congress: Extend lifeliners’ power rate subsidy for another 30 years

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has urged Congress to extend the lifeline electricity rate subsidy for another 30 years or until 2051 to “lifeliners” or low-income households with a monthly consumption of 100 kilowatt hours or less.

This was among the recommendations by the Department of Energy approved by the President during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said.

“Minsan na po itong naamyendahan ng ating Kongreso. Inextend po yung benefits ng lifeliners from 2011 to 2021. Ngayon po, ang hinihingi ng Pangulo sa Kongreso ay muli, i-extend po yung lifeliners benefits from 2021 to 2051,” Nograles said Thursday in an online briefing.

(This was previously amended by Congress. They extended the benefits of lifeliners from 2011 to 2021. But now, the President is asking Congress to extend lifeliners’ benefits from 2021 to 2051.)

(INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

Nograles was referring to Republic Act No. 10150 which extended the Electricity Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) until 2021.

Under the EPIRA law, the lifeline rate or a subsidized rate was given to low-income households who cannot afford to pay at full cost.

“Meron pong mga pending legislations ngayon sa House of Representatives at sa Senado at alam naman po natin na itong benefits na ito ay mageexpire in mid of 2021,” Nograles said.

(There are pending legislations before the House of Representatives and the Senate and we know that these benefits will expire mid 2021.)

The Senate already approved on final reading a bill granting lifeline electricity rate subsidies to low-income consumers for another 10 years.  

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