Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano proposed the formation of a national commission that would bring together lawmakers, energy agencies, regulators, experts, the academe, and key industry players to urgently address high electricity rates and recurring power outages.
In a Facebook livestream, Cayetano said the body could adopt the intensive and multisector approach of the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) which studies problems across the education sector and recommends concrete reforms.
The proposed commission would go beyond the existing congressional power commission, which is composed of lawmakers, by involving the Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, the private sector, and other stakeholders directly involved in the power industry.
“Hindi po sustainable na may mga area na brownout nang brownout, may mga area naman na wala pa ring kuryente until now.”
“Hindi po sustainable na may mga area na brownout nang brownout, may mga area naman na wala pa ring kuryente until now,” the veteran legislator said.
The seasoned lawmaker also floated the idea of an ad hoc body that will regularly meet for the next six months as a way to bring all concerned sectors together and immediately work on solutions.
Coming just a few days before the President’s State of the Nation Address, the senator’s call comes amid continued high electricity costs and pressure on the country’s power grids.
Meralco raised its residential rate by P0.3428 per kilowatt-hour in July, bringing the household rate to P14.8261 per kWh. For a typical household consuming 200 kWh, this added about P69 to the monthly bill. The rate is about 17 percent higher than in July 2025.
The Visayas grid was also placed under red alert for six hours on July 8 after transmission and power plant outages left available supply below projected demand. In May, the Luzon grid went on red alert for three consecutive days, with rotational outages affecting 1.9 million Meralco customers on May 13 alone.
“Marami pong nasha-shock na ang electricity bill nila ay P2,000, naging P2,800; P22,000, naging P30,000.”
“Marami pong nasha-shock na ang electricity bill nila ay P2,000, naging P2,800; P22,000, naging P30,000,” Cayetano said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the the Department of Energy and the UPLIFT Committee, he said lowering electricity costs and the overall cost of living should rank among the country’s top priorities.
He stressed that the scale of the electricity problem requires a “whole-of-government and whole-of-community approach”.
