It is an injustice for Filipino consumers to be burdened with bloated electricity bills due to bill deposits—and to be kept in the dark about them.
This was the statement of Senate Committee on Energy Chairman Senator Erwin Tulfo as he heeded the resounding complaints of consumers shocked by skyrocketing electric bills attributed to bill deposits.
Despite MERALCO postponing the imposition of the said bill deposit, Tulfo highlighted the lack of transparency in how it was reflected in consumers’ bills.
“Paying electricity bills is a constant part of the monthly budget, so when these shocks happen, they cripple Filipino families.”
“It is clear from the reactions of our fellow Filipinos that they were blindsided by this increase. Paying electricity bills is a constant part of the monthly budget, so when these shocks happen, they cripple Filipino families,” the legislator said.
The issue of bill deposits was raised by consumers both online and offline, with some citing an almost 100 percent surge in their electricity bills.
Under the “Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers,” bill deposit is an amount collected from consumers nationwide to cover or guarantee payment for electricity consumed but unpaid after the due date.
Although the lawmaker recognizes that power distribution utilities are allowed under the law to collect bill deposits, he reiterated that the same law affords Filipinos the right to transparent billing.
“Most of the complaints raised with us are that the ‘other charges’ are higher than the consumption charges, yet consumers do not understand what these other charges consist of,” the Senate Energy Panel Chairman lamented.
“With the uncertainty brought by the super El Niño, especially when it comes to the budgets of Filipino families, please be considerate and avoid imposing these additional payments,” the senator added.
He also backed the rules on imposing bill deposits recently issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
“Apart from ensuring transparency, uphold your corporate social responsibility and allow consumers to pay in tranches.”
Tulfo told power distribution utilities: “Apart from ensuring transparency, uphold your corporate social responsibility and allow consumers to pay in tranches.”
The ERC has directed power distribution utilities to provide consumers with the option to pay in three equal monthly installments.
