Ched Rick Gatchalian

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Consumer group urges gov't to halt any power rate increase to help calamity victims

Alvin Elchico

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Power for People (P4P) Coalition calls on the government to halt or stop any increase on power rates all over the country, as millions are affected by the onslaught of typhoons Tino and Uwan.</p><p>P4P Coalition Convenor Gerry Arances said the government should be sensitive to the plight of Filipinos whose <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/11/-tino-death-toll-rises-to-232-uwan-casualties-now-25-ocd-2344">houses and livelihood were affected by the series of calamities.</a></p><p>Arances said Meralco, for instance, stands to profit P50 billion this year, that foregoing any increase would be a drop in the bucket for the big company.</p><p>The group says private power utilities in Cebu and Negros should also halt any increase in the incoming bill of consumers to ease their condition.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/11/10/power-rates-climb-in-november-1057">Power rates climb in November</a></div><p>Meralco has announced a P0.15/kwh increase in the November 2025 billing due to additional feed-in-tariff allowance and transmission costs.</p><div> </div><div><strong>MERALCO REACTS</strong></div><p>Meralco for its part said the increase is not due to the distribution charge and the adjustment in rate is done every month.</p><p>According to Meralco Spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga, the increase this month is not in any way related to the typhoons.</p><p>The increase in feed-in-tariff allowance will go to the fund allocated as payment for renewable energy sources while the transmission charge increase was due to higher ancillary services contracted by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines.</p><div><strong> </strong></div><div><strong>NASECORE ON UNIVERSAL CHARGE</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the National Association of Electricity Consumers for Reforms (NASECORE) wants to inquire with the Energy Regulatory Commission on the status of the universal charge for stranded debts and stranded contract costs collected from all consumers nationwide.</p><p>That charge is around P0.043/kwh every billing month.</p><p>That amount is collected to defray debt payments incurred by the government during the past decades, together with the proceeds from the sale of government-owned power generation assets. While the actual amount is less than the cost of a candy or a cigarette, that translates to billions of pesos yearly based on the kilowatt-hour consumption of consumers.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/advertorial/life/11/03/22/why-you-should-care-about-your-energy-source">Why you should care about your energy source</a></div><p>In 2005, NASECORE President Pete Ilagan said the collection already amounted to nearly P2 billion that year.</p><p>Ilagan wants the ERC to account for whether the debts of the National Power Corporation have been paid already by the accumulated collection of the universal charge.</p>

<p>The Power for People (P4P) Coalition noted that millions are affected by the onslaught of typhoons Tino and Uwan.</p>

The Power for People (P4P) Coalition noted that millions are affected by the onslaught of typhoons Tino and Uwan.

Consumer group urges halt to power rate hikes to help calamity victims

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Consumer group urges halt to power rate hikes to help calamity victims

Alvin Elchico,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 18, 2025 08:02 PM PHT

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Meralco

Power rates

Energy

Calamity

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