Nelson Morales

Senator questions Meralco’s pass-through charges to consumers

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Senator Rodante Marcoleta, during the fourth hearing of the Proactive Response and Oversight for Timely and Effective Crisis Strategy (PROTECT) Committee on Wednesday, questioned the pass-through charges that electric distribution utility company Meralco passes on to its customers. These include the local franchise tax, universal charge, system loss, and lifeline rates, according to Marcoleta.“Sana yun lang, local franchise tax, kayo naman ang nag-apply nito, at tama lang naman kayo kayo lang eh dapat tanggalin niyo ito,” Marcoleta said. Meralco has said that the pass through charges are not new, as these have been part of consumers&#x27; electric bills for years. Marcoleta said EPIRA or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, was supposed to result in lower power rates, but this has not happened.Energy Regulatory Commission Chairperson and CEO Francis Saturnino Juan said the matter Marcoleta brought up could be reviewed.“Maaaring mapag-aralan yan ng Kongreso para marebisa yung polisiya na nasa EPIRA kasama na rin doon yung polisiya ng pag-allow ng lifeline as an exception to the removal of cross subsidy principle,” Juan said.Marcoleta is also pushing for the removal of the 12 percent Value-Added Tax (VAT) on electricity to help Filipinos amid the continuing oil crisis, and asked ERC if it is against this.The lawmaker also cited his bill proposing to exempt households that consume up to 200 kilowatt-hours or lower from paying their electric bill. “Yun ang pinaka-subsidy,” Marcoleta said. He pointed out that about 5.5 million poor families will benefit from this or 25 million to 27 million poor Filipinos.

These include the local franchise tax, universal charge, system loss, and lifeline rates.

These include the local franchise tax, universal charge, system loss, and lifeline rates.