Hontiveros Seeks Senate Probe into ERC Policies on Electric Bill Disputes, Rate Hikes

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday filed a Senate resolution seeking an investigation into the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC)’s policies on electricity bill disputes and rate increases. According to Hontiveros, the move comes as “a growing number of consumers in Metro Manila reported erroneous readings of their Meralco (Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company) meters and experienced irregular electricity billings.” “ERC has a mandate to protect electric consumers, but some of its current policies may be placing the burden on the very people it is supposed to protect. There is a need to review these policies and update them if necessary,” Hontiveros said. Meralco said customers with existing complaints are not required to pay their bills while their cases are under review. Despite this, Hontiveros said in her resolution that the ERC has advised consumers disputing their bills to pay the charges under protest to avoid service disconnection while their complaints are being investigated. The senator said the conflicting statements create uncertainty, underscoring the need for the probe. She also said the issue has become more urgent as consumers continue to face higher electricity prices following power rate increases since February. Hontiveros said the 34.2-centavo per kilowatt-hour increase in the generation charge this month will again cause financial strain on Filipino households. “Consumers should not have to endure successive electricity rate hikes while they are already struggling to correct erroneous billing. If there are policies that place them at a disadvantage, then it is time to review and amend them to ensure they are fair and truly pro-consumer,” she added. On Friday, Hontiveros also called for a “disconnection freeze” for consumers contesting their bills while their cases are pending review.