Bohol power firm refunds P2.18M to consumers
TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — Bohol Light Company Inc. of the Enrique Razon-led firm Primelectric Holdings Inc. has refunded more than P2.18 million in bill deposits to eligible residential electricity consumers.
The ongoing refund program is in line with the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers (Energy Regulatory Commission Resolution No. 08, Series of 2008), which requires distribution utilities to return bill deposits to customers who have maintained a good payment record for at least three years.
“We are taking meaningful steps to ensure that our consumers receive what is rightfully theirs,” said Bohol Light president Roel Castro in a statement. “This is part of our promise to be a service-oriented company that values fairness and transparency, ” he added.
According to Bohol Light, a bill deposit is a sum of money usually required by utility companies as a guarantee for payment of electricity bills. It is similar to a security deposit for a rental property and is intended to cover potential unpaid bills, especially for new or increased service connections. The deposit amount is typically equivalent to an estimated one-month’s worth of electricity consumption or bill.
As of the latest tally, the company has returned P2.18 million to 432 consumer accounts, with disbursements carried out in batches for efficiency and ease of access.
On Jan. 27 this year, the company carried out its first mass refund to 335 consumers, followed by its second distribution to 354 customers on March 10.
The utility firm also processed the refund of 34 individual applicants and two terminated accounts, which, the company said, showed it accommodated all qualified consumers, regardless of their refund categories.
Bohol Light said they were still identifying more consumers for the next round of releases.
“This is not a one-time effort. It’s a continuous process to uphold consumer rights and earn their trust,” Castro said.
