Manila, Philippines — FORMER Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate has denounced Meralco for imposing another power rate hike this month, warning that the increase will worsen the financial burden on Filipino consumers already grappling with the soaring costs of living.
Zarate also urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to conduct a full investigation into Meralco’s history of overcharging, ensure that it will be made accountable and consumers are not continuously exploited.
Meralco announced a P26-centavo per kilowatt-hour (kWh) increase, which translates to an additional P53 in monthly bills** for an average household consuming 200 kWh.
“Once again, Meralco is squeezing more from consumers who are already struggling with rising prices of basic goods.
This latest rate hike is unacceptable, especially when there are unresolved issues of overcharging that Meralco has yet to fully account for,” Zarate said.
“Muli na namang pinapasan sa taumbayan ang panibagong taas-singil sa kuryente. Sa gitna ng napakataas na presyo ng bilihin at serbisyo, dagdag na pahirap ito sa mga ordinaryong mamamayan. Hindi ito katanggap-tanggap, lalo na’t my mga hindi pa nalulutas na kaso ng sobrang paniningil ng Meralco,” dagdag niya.
Call for ERC Investigation
Zarate also called on the ERC to investigate Meralco for its repeated overcharging and questionable billing practices. He cited past instances where Meralco was ordered to refund billions to consumers due to overcollections.
“The ERC must act now and launch a full audit of Meralco’s charges. Consumers deserve transparency and accountability, not just endless rate hikes and token refunds,” Zarate stressed.
“Dapat kumilos ang ERC at magsagawa ng masusing imbestigasyon sa mga singil ng Meralco. Hindi dapat nagtatapos sa refund lang—kailangang may pananagutan ang mga nasa likod ng paulit-ulit na sobrang paniningil,” aniya.
Bayan Muna and consumer groups have long raised concerns about Meralco’s questionable practices, including:
1. P29 billion in overrecovered distribution charges (2013-2018), which was questioned by consumer groups before the ERC in 2019.
2. An unexplained P66 billion discrepancy in reported power purchases for 2019**, which requires an independent audit.
3. A P4.05 billion premium payment to Quezon Power in 2020, which was 52% higher than the average coal power cost.
Demand for Consumer Protection
Zarate emphasized that the government must prioritize consumer welfare over corporate profits. He called on the Marcos administration and lawmakers to implement stronger regulations to prevent power companies from continuously imposing unjustified rate hikes.
“The government must step in and put an end to these abusive power rate increases. Consumers are not cash cows for big corporations. We need stricter regulations and real accountability,” Zarate said.
“Kailangang ipakita ng gobyerno na inuuna nito ang kapakanan ng mamamayan at hindi ang kita ng mga korporasyon. Hindi dapat patuloy na ginagatasan ang taumbayan sa pamamagitan ng walang habas na taas-singil. Kailangan ng mas mahigpit na regulasyon at tunay na pananagutan,” pagtatapos niya.
Zarate and Bayan Muna vowed to continue fighting for the rights of consumers and pushing for lower electricity rates to ease the burden on ordinary Filipinos.
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