Groups to protest Meralco rate hike, fuel surge

MANILA, Philippines — Rural groups on Thursday announced plans to stage protests against higher electricity rates, saying the increase would further burden consumers already grappling with soaring fuel prices.

The coalition, led by peasant group Anakpawis, condemned the latest rate adjustment announced by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), which raised electricity charges by 64 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kWh) this month.

The increase pushed Meralco’s overall rate to P13.8161 per kWh from P13.1734 per kWh in February, meaning a household consuming 200 kWh will pay about P129 more in its monthly electricity bill.

READ: Meralco hikes power rates in March

In a statement released Thursday, Anakpawis said the adjustment comes at a time when Filipinos are already struggling with rising fuel costs.

“Nakisali at sumabay pa talaga sa walang-patid na taas-presyo ng langis. Hindi magiging katanggap-tanggap ang pagtataas ng singil ng kuryente dahil pawang espekulasyon lamang ang mga pinagbabatayan ng Meralco. Sadyang gusto lamang nilang magkamal ng tubo kahit naghihingalo na sa hirap ang mga konsyumer nito,” the group said.

(The power rate hike has even joined and kept pace with the relentless increases in oil prices. Raising electricity rates is unacceptable because the bases cited by Meralco are merely speculative. They simply want to rake in profits even as their consumers are already struggling under severe hardship.) 

Anakpawis national president Ariel Casilao said the power rate increase would compound the financial strain faced by ordinary households.

“Masyado ng mabigat ito para sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino, lalo sa gitna ng magkakasunod na pagsirit ng presyo ng langis. Sinasamantala na lamang ng mga negosyanteng nagpapatakbo ng mga susing industriya ang giyera sa Iran para magkamal ng sobra-sobrang tubo, sa kapinsalaan ng ordinaryong mamamayan,” Casilao said.

(This is already too heavy a burden for ordinary Filipinos, especially amid the successive surges in oil prices. Businessmen running key industries are simply exploiting the war in Iran to rake in excessive profits, at the expense of ordinary citizens.)

He also criticized the administration for what the group described as inaction in the face of rising costs.

“Anong ginagawa ng pangulo habang tahasang pinagsasamantalahan ng mga gahamang kumpanya ng langis at kuryente ang ordinaryong Pilipino? Walang signipikante at mapagpasyang aksyon si Pangulong Marcos para pahupain ang epekto ng inflation sa mga naghihirap na sektor tulad ng magsasaka, mangingisda, at manggagawa,” Casilao added.

(What is the president doing while greedy oil and power companies are openly exploiting ordinary Filipinos? President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has taken no significant or decisive action to ease the impact of inflation on struggling sectors such as farmers, fisherfolk, and workers.)

The group said it would spearhead mass campaigns and protest actions against the electricity rate hike and other increases in the prices of basic utilities and commodities.

Fuel prices continue to climb

The planned protests come as motorists across the country face another wave of fuel price increases linked to tensions in the Middle East.

Government officials earlier warned that diesel prices could surge by as much as P24 per liter this week, while gasoline prices could rise by P7 to P13 per liter, with some oil companies implementing the increases in staggered tranches to soften the impact on consumers.

As of March 12, retail fuel prices in Metro Manila vary widely depending on the station and brand. Diesel prices range roughly from P70 to around P88 per liter, while gasoline prices reach up to about P71 per liter.

READ: OIL PRICE WATCH as of March 12, 2026

The recent surge in oil prices has been driven largely by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have disrupted energy markets and raised concerns about global supply.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has said oil prices are largely determined by global market forces under the country’s deregulated fuel industry, limiting the government’s ability to directly control pump prices.

Fisherfolk feel the pinch

For fisherfolk, who rely heavily on fuel for daily operations, the sharp increases are already cutting into their earnings.

In Cavite, a fisherfolk leader recently showed a four-liter container of diesel purchased for P400, a steep jump from P250 before the latest staggered price hikes.

The fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said the increase represents a roughly 60 percent rise in cost, making it harder for small fishers to continue going out to sea.

READ: Protest over fuel hike erupts in Quezon City

Pamalakaya has been calling on the government to remove the value-added tax (VAT) and excise tax on fuel, which the group said adds P15 to P17 per liter. Without these taxes, the group said a fisher consuming around 10 liters of fuel per fishing trip could save about P150 per operation.

Earlier, farmers and fishers warned that rising fuel prices would inevitably drive up production costs and could eventually affect food supply and prices if the government fails to cushion the impact on the agriculture sector.

Power rates may rise further

Energy officials have also warned that electricity prices could rise further in the coming months as global fuel prices continue to climb.

Meralco officials earlier said the Middle East conflict has not yet been factored into current electricity rates, meaning its effects may only start to be felt in future billing cycles.

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin earlier said tensions in the region could potentially lead to around a 16 percent increase in electricity rates if fuel prices remain elevated.

READ: Meralco raises March rates by 64 centavos per KwH

For rural groups, however, the immediate concern is the cumulative effect of rising costs on already struggling communities.

Anakpawis said the solution lies in structural reforms in the energy sector, including the repeal of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001, which the group claims opened the door for “monopoly control” of private corporations in the power industry.

The group said it would continue mobilizing protests in the coming days to press its demands as fuel and electricity prices continue to rise. /dm