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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Here's how 50% electricity discount can be availed by minimum wage earners under House bill

Here's how 50% electricity discount can be availed by minimum wage earners under House bill

Published Mar 10, 2026 11:41 am  |  Updated Mar 10, 2026 01:46 pm

At A Glance

  • Minimum wage earners have something to look forward to--specifically, a 50 percent discount on their electricity bills--under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD)-backed House Bill (HB) No.8191.
(Unsplash)
(Unsplash)


Minimum wage earners have something to look forward to--specifically, a 50 percent discount on their electricity bills--under the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD)-backed House Bill (HB) No.8191.
But how can Filipinos avail of this benefit, if and when the proposed “Ginhawa sa Kuryente Act" becomes a law? Here are key details of the minimum wage earner discount.
First, what is a minimum wage earner (MWE)? According to HB No.8191, an MWE "refers to a worker whose wage rate is at or below the applicable statutory minimum wage under wage orders issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boands (R'IWPBs), or such lawful successor wage-setting issuances, as may be applicable".
Second, the 50 percent discount will follow a per household basis. The measure says "households with at least one MWE...shall be entitled to a uniform 50 percent discount on applicable electricity charges for a single residential service account corresponding to the household’s principal residence, subject to verification, anti-leakage safeguards, and periodic revalidation as may be provided in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR)".
Section 5 of the proposed statute gives further guardrails and safeguards for the MWE discount feature of the proposed “Ginhawa sa Kuryente Act.
- Availment shall be limited to one residential service account corresponding to the household's principal residence
- Availment shall be limited to residential service accounts and shall not apply to commercial, industrial, or mised-use accounts, except as may be allowed under strict criteria to cover home-based arrangements that are essentially residential, as may be defined in the IRR
- The benefit shall be non-transferable and shall not be traded, assigned, or used to cover an account other than that approved fior the household's principal residence.
- Verification shall be designed to be simple and accessible, while being auditable. The IRR may provide for employer certification, basic payroll or payslip proof, or other official verification sources consistent with law, with pecial provisions for workers without regular documentation.
- Eligibility shall be time-bound and subject to periodic revalidation to confirm continuing MWE status, as may be provided in the IRR.
- The IRR shall include penalties and disqualification rules for misrepresentation, fraud, or manipulation, without prejudice to applicable civil administrative, or criminal liabilities under existing laws.
- A clear process shall be established to address denial, exclusion, account-tagging disputes, and correction of records, with response timelines and escalation paths.
A total of 75 other Lakas-CMD stalwarts, headed by former House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez, served as co-authors of HB No.8191.
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