State-run think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) is urging the government to overhaul its energy subsidy frameworks, warning that design flaws are allowing wealthy households and profitable private resorts to capture millions of pesos intended for marginalized consumers. In...
Electricity consumers are set to break away from traditional utility monopolies next week, as regulators lower the threshold for market contestability to let households and small businesses choose their own power suppliers. Starting June 26, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will reduce the...
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monda, June 15, sait it deployed additional personnel to communities struggling with power outages following the recent earthquake in Mindanao to prevent crime and protect the public. Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., PNP chief, directed the...
After a slight pullback last month, customers should brace for higher electricity prices in June following an upward adjustment in generation charges, according to Manila Electric Co. (Meralco). Meralco said on Thursday, June 11, that it is increasing electricity rates by ₱0.1488 per...
Wholesale electricity spot market prices could hit new highs in the coming weeks as grid alerts in Visayas and earthquake-induced plant outages in Mindanao squeeze power supply, according to the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc. (IEMOP). During a press briefing on...
Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno has underscored the need for policymakers to assess whether or not the current allocation of pass-through costs remains fair to consumers. Diokno did so as he backed calls from labor and consumer groups to have Congress review the Manila Electric Company...
A member of the House Committee on Energy is suggesting the use of fuel value-added tax (VAT) collections in a mechanism to partially subsidize electricity bill rebates. Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. made this proposal amid the complaints on social media regarding the so-called...
BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) admitted on Thursday that it erroneously charged a consumer in Hinigaran town P958,334.94 for electricity consumption in May, an error that went viral after the consumer posted her bill on Facebook, saying it gave her a...
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) expressed support for initiatives aimed at improving electricity services and reducing consumer costs after progressive groups staged a protest outside its Pasig office on Tuesday, May 19, calling for lower rates and the repeal of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act...
Motorists will need to ease up on the gas pedal as gasoline and diesel prices are expected to increase this week amid renewed geopolitical tensions. The Department of Energy (DOE) reported that gasoline prices will increase by ₱1.21 per liter, while diesel will go up by ₱2.82 per liter....
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) placed the Luzon and Visayas grids under red alert on Wednesday, May 13, amid supply deficit that may trigger rotating power interruptions across the country’s most populous regions. The grid operator announced that the Luzon region will...
Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is slightly lowering electricity prices this month, using billions of pesos in regulatory refunds and new tax breaks to shield consumers from the typical price spikes caused by the summer heat. The country’s largest power distributor announced on Wednesday, May 12,...
