Congress urged to review Meralco rates; utility firm defends transparency

Labor and consumer groups on Friday have called on Congress to review Manila Electric Company's (Meralco) electricity pricing policies.

Small Entrepreneur for Livelihood Development Association (SELDA), Sentro ng Nagkakaisang Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), and the Akbayan Green Working Group made the call alongside House Assistant Minority Leader and Akbayan party-list Rep. Chel Diokno, arguing that power rates and related charges should remain transparent and responsive to consumers' needs.

Giovanni Apostol, spokesperson for the Bulacan-based SELDA, lamented that some of their members were shocked to learn that their Meralco bill for April increased to as much as P2,300 from mere P1,000 a month preceding that period.

“These are people who spend their whole days walking and hawking their fares on the streets, and their only rest is at night. But they won’t even turn on their TV or electric fan for fear of high bills. And yet our April bills were more than double, because the various charges and taxes are higher than the actual price of our consumption,” Apostol said.

“What's even more sad is that most of them have completely lost their livelihoods. What about their children this coming school year? For us little performers, every peso is important to us,” he added.

Meralco’s rate is pegged at P14 per kilowatt hour in recent months, and the distribution utility has earlier said that the higher rates are driven by increased demand during the summer season and the impact of recent red alerts in the Luzon grid.

Diokno said policymakers should still assess whether the current allocation of costs remains fair to consumers even if several charges appearing on customers' bills are pass-through costs mandated by law and not earnings for the company.

“Congress has a responsibility to examine whether current electricity rates and billing mechanisms remain equitable for consumers. This is about easing the burden on households and addressing a fundamental cost of living pressure,” Diokno said in a statement.

“Electricity is not a luxury; it's a basic necessity, and our people deserve clarity, fairness, and accountability,” he added.

Diokno has already filed House Resolution 995 which seeks a congressional probe into the high power prices and other charges that distribution utilities pass on to consumers.

The resolution also seeks to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act, as well as Energy Regulatory Commission policies, to ensure that the power sector operates on fair and just terms.

In response, Meralco maintained that the company has always been open and transparent especially when it comes to discussions and questions about electricity rates, and that it would always be supportive of efforts to make electricity rates more affordable.

Joe Zaldarriaga, Meralco’s Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications, cited that Meralco initiated monthly announcements on its rate adjustments to help consumers understand the factors behind their electricity bills, utilizes all available communications channels and customer touch points, and responds to queries regarding its rates.

“To reiterate, customers bills are fully unbundled, showing where every peso goes—from generation and transmission, to taxes and other government‑mandated charges. These charges are clearly broken down in Meralco electricity bills,” Zaldarriaga said.

“We remain open to constructive dialogue with government, regulators, lawmakers, and stakeholders for long‑term energy security and the continued delivery of safe, reliable, and stable electricity service for the benefit of all consumers,” he added.—LDF, GMA News