In response to an appeal from House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has extended its no-disconnection policy for non-payment of bills until January 31 next year. “The extended grace period will provide a much-needed reprieve to those reeling from the devastating effect of the pandemic and natural calamities,” the speaker said. ”We appreciate that Meralco had extended the same courtesy at the height of the nationwide lockdown and we expect that the company will be as considerate this Yuletide season.” Meralco President Atty. Ray Espinosa said the extended grace period will benefit more than three million customers with consumption of 200 kilowatts per hour and below during the month of December, 2020. They make up 47 percent of Meralco’s total consumer base, he said. This December has been the ninth month of the year that the power distribution company had lowered its rates, for a total decrease of P1.28 per kilowatt-hour for the whole of 2020. Its customers have thus been having reliable power distribution at lowest cost possible, despite the many hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, Espinosa said. “This is how we overcome the devastating effects of the pandemic, with leaders from both private and public sectors working together to make lives better,” the speaker said. Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, chairman of the House Committee on Energy, joined in thanking Meralco for heeding the request of Speaker Velasco. “This is the best Christmas gift it can give its millions of customers as we continue to fight the effects of this pandemic, both health and economic-wise,” Arroyo said. “As chairman of the House Committee on Energy, I would request the same for electric cooperatives nationwide as well as other private distribution utilities to benefit the rest of our countrymen.” Congressman Arroyo said. More and more businesses are beginning to return to business-as-usual operations and the good news of extended no-disconnection will benefit a wide range of customers from residential to small-to-medium enterprises to the larger corporate entities in the industrial and commercial sector. It has been a critical time for all, but help extended by entities like Meralco and its unstinted cooperation with the government’s efforts has helped many families through the difficult times and will help in the recovery of the economy in the coming year.