Gatchalian wants Meralco to explain electricity bills to consumers

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday said the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) must make its billing statements clearer to make consumers better understand what they were paying for.

In a virtual interview with reporters, the chair of the Senate committee on energy said he also got confused when he received his electricity bills for May and June despite earlier reminders to Meralco.

"Hindi 'yun ang pinagusapan natin sa hearing kasi 'yung pinag-usapan natin 'yung clear computation, kung paano ninyo na-derive itong June (billing statement) kasi hindi clear sa akin, sinama-sama 'yung May and June, dapat hiwalay 'yung May and June," Gatchalian said.

"Ang tao gusto magbayad, gusto lang nila maintindihan kung ano binabayaran nila. Tiningnan ko nga kanina parang imposible naman na ganun kalaki konsumo ko in one month. Maraming doubts, maraming question marks na dapat ma-answer," he added.

The senator said he would first request an explanation from Meralco and if the response did not suffice, he would call for a Senate hearing.

"Before a hearing we want to set a meeting, gusto muna namin makita 'yung detalye at gusto muna namin makita 'yung gagawin nila kung iko-correct ba nila," he added.

The Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a directive for distribution utilities to conduct actual meter readings and afterwards issue a new billing reflecting the actual consumption and the corresponding amount due, not later than June 8, 2020.

Meralco has advised customers to wait for new bills before making payments and assured that it has read the meters of around 65% of its customers for the month of May. -NB, GMA News