Filtered By: Topstories
News

Govt's P500-power subsidy draws praises, criticisms


MANILA, Philippines - “Lifeline power users" in Metro Manila flocked to the Land Bank of the Philippines branches in the metropolis Wednesday to get their share of the P500 power subsidy. People consuming less than 100 kilowatt-hours a month fall into the category of lifeline users, according to the government. But some lifeline users who line up at the Landbank branch in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, were not happy at all. GMA News’ 24 Oras reported that a woman who was in line for almost five hours blew her top because of the snail’s pace procedure at the bank. Meanwhile, Eden Caido was frustrated when the bank did not allow her to use a Xerox copy of her monthly billing issued by the Manila Electric Company. “Nawawala ang original bill kaya kumuha ako ng duplicate para makakuha ako maka-avail kaso hindi nila inonor ang duplicate na galing din sa Meralco," Caido complained. (I lost the original copy of the bill that’s why I brought a copy of the billing statement.) The situation at the Landbank branch in Intramuros in Manila was orderly, the news report added. “Madali lang, hindi mahirap ang pila sa loob. (It’s easy. Lining up is not that difficult)," said Matilde Madrelino. Madrelino said she would use the P500 to pay her electric bill. But an elderly woman who also got her P500 subsidy said she would use the money to buy rice. Households that consume not over 100/kwh a month on electricity can get their P500 subsidy in any Landbank branch in Metro Manila – which was the pilot area of the “Katas ng VAT" subsidy program of the government. The P2 billion funds for the “Katas ng VAT" program were taken from the earnings of the expanded value added tax from imported petroleum products. - GMANews.TV
LOADING CONTENT