Billing woes far from over for some Meralco customers, says group

Consumers group Laban Konsyumer on Wednesday said some customers are still not settled with the explanation of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) about the amounts on their bills.

“I keep receiving disputed Meralco bills. Ayaw maniwala ng subscriber doon sa explanation,” Laban Konsyumer president Vic Dimagiba said in an interview on GMA News TV’s Balitanghali.

Dimagiba said that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) should arbitrate the disputed bills.

In July last year, the ERC said it received some 47,000 complaints from electricity consumers nationwide due to alleged irregularities in their bills amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to Meralco’s failure to clearly indicate that the bills were estimated and for failure to comply with the mandated installment payment arrangement during the quarantine period, the ERC imposed a P19-million fine against the company in August last year.  The company settled the penalty in September.

Due to the number of customers who still have questions on their bills, Dimagiba suggested to further extend the no-disconnection policy from January to February and give them three to four months to pay their remaining dues.

“’Yung mga tao na ‘yun, huwag mo muna siyang putulan kasi hindi siya nagbabayad kasi meron naman siyang finile na complaint,” he added.—Joviland Rita/LDF, GMA News