Duterte signs law extending discounted power rates for poor consumers by 50 years

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law extending lifeline rate or subsidies for marginalized power consumers for another 50 years.

Under Republic Act 11521, discounted rates will be granted to marginalized power consumers which include: those qualified household-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and consumers who were certified as marginalized by their distribution utilities.

The discounted rates will be funded by cross-subsidy, meaning sourced from those non-lifeline consumers.

The law also provides for a comprehensive evaluation of its implementation every two years to prevent leakages.

Under the current lifeline rate, customers with an average monthly consumption of 100 kilowatt hours (kWh) and below are entitled to discounts.

Under the law, the Energy Regulatory Commission will primarily use data from state-run Philippine Statistical Authority in determining level of consumption.

The lifeline rate was last extended for 20 years back in June 2011. — BM, GMA News