Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago has filed House Resolution 1189 urging the Committee on Energy to investigate, in aid of legislation, the reported overbilling, alleged incorrect meter readings, and high electricity rates imposed by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), while calling out the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for failing to protect consumers from mounting billing complaints.
The resolution cites numerous complaints from consumers who reported that their monthly electricity bills had doubled or, in some cases, nearly tripled despite no corresponding increase in their electricity consumption. It also questions the ERC’s recent advice for consumers to monitor their own meter readings and pay disputed bills “under protest” to avoid disconnection, saying the agency has effectively shifted the burden of ensuring accurate billing to ordinary consumers.
“Tingin yata ng ERC, Spiderman ang mga konsyumer at kayang akyatin ang poste para mabasa ang metro,” Rep. Elago said.
“At paano mo sasabihing magbayad muna kahit under protest kung ang mismong dahilan ng reklamo ay wala nang kakayahang bayaran ang sobra-sobrang singil? Imbes na papanagutin ang Meralco, ipinapasa ng ERC sa mga konsumer ang responsibilidad sa pagkakamali ng power distributor,” she added.
The lawmaker stressed that the inquiry aims to determine whether existing laws and regulatory mechanisms remain adequate to protect consumers and hold power industry stakeholders accountable, especially as Meralco again raised electricity rates this month.
“Ano pa ang silbi ng ERC kung hindi nito kayang protektahan ang mga konsumer laban sa malinaw na mga reklamo ng overbilling? Dapat alamin ng Kongreso kung bakit tila hindi napapanagot ang Meralco at kung paano mapapalakas ang mga batas upang tunay na maipagtanggol ang karapatan ng mamamayan,” Elago said.
Elago also renewed Gabriela Women’s Party’s call to end the privatization-driven model in the power sector and restore electricity as a publicly controlled essential service.
“Batayang serbisyo ang kuryente at hindi dapat ginagawang negosyo. Hangga’t interes ng malalaking korporasyon ang inuuna sa halip na kapakanan ng mamamayan, magpapatuloy ang mataas na singil at kawalan ng pananagutan. Panahon nang unahin ang serbisyo publiko kaysa tubo,” Elago concluded.
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