Meralco clarifies electricity bill charges

Power distribution firm Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on Monday clarified that itemized charges in customers’ monthly electricity bills, including senior citizen and lifeline rate subsidies, are all approved by regulators before implementation.

Meralco said some parts of the bill go to government programs that help low-income and vulnerable consumers, while other charges are used to support renewable energy projects like solar and wind to help the country shift to cleaner power.

“Meralco, just like other electricity distributors across the country, operates under strict regulatory oversight that ensures all charges are lawful, transparent, and properly vetted,” Meralco vice president and Corporate Communications head Joe Zaldarriaga said in an emailed statement.

“Every line item in your electricity bill has been approved before it is reflected and implemented,” he added.

Meralco earlier explained the breakdown of electricity costs:

• 55% generation charges (cost of power purchased from suppliers)
• 17.5% distribution costs (operations and maintenance)
• 11.7% taxes
• 10.1% transmission charge
• 5.7% other charges

The power distributor earlier raised rates by 53 centavos per kilowatt-hour for April 2026, resulting in an increase of about P106 in the monthly bill of a typical household consuming 200 kWh.

Meralco constructs, operates, and maintains electric distribution systems in Bulacan, Cavite, Metro Manila, and Rizal, as well as parts of Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, and Quezon.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in March declared a state of national energy emergency and ordered the adoption of a Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT) to stabilize energy supply and support key sectors, including transport, agriculture, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).—MCG, GMA News