More ‘lifeline’ consumers to get zero power billings
More of the country’s estimated 4.5 million most vulnerable Filipino households could see their power bills drop to zero due to the government’s expanded coverage of the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program (LRSP).
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Friday said qualified households consuming 0 to 50 kilowatt-hours per month would be eligible for a 100-percent discount on their electricity charges.
Before this, lifeline rate discounts varied according to the prevailing rates of power distributors or electric cooperatives.
The program is meant to aid low-income power customers who are unable to settle their bills at full cost.
Based on previous reports, households with 0 to 20 kWh consumption roughly pay P20, while those consuming 21 kWh to 50 kWh pay around P300.
The lifeline discount covers multiple components of the electricity bill, including generation, transmission, system loss, distribution, supply, metering, and applicable value-added tax.
Marginalized
The commission noted that marginalized end-users could avail this regardless of their location or distribution utility.
To fund the discounted rates under the expanded program, a 1-centavo per kWh lifeline subsidy rate will be collected from subsidizing power consumers nationwide. These will be collected by distribution utilities, retail electricity suppliers and the grid operator.
The collected amounts will then be placed under the “National Lifeline Subsidy Fund,” which will be managed by the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.
Meanwhile, for distribution utilities with existing ERC-approved thresholds of more than 50 kWh, the regulator said current discount structures remain until further notice.
4Ps beneficiaries
In a separate statement, the Department of Energy (DOE) said it had inked a joint resolution with the ERC and the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the automatic registration of qualified Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) households.
“By automating and simplifying registration for qualified 4Ps households, we are reducing red tape and helping ensure that assistance reaches those who need it most—faster, fairer, and at scale,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.
Manual registration will also be conducted to address some substantial or unresolvable discrepancies, as well as to on board other qualified consumers not covered by the 4Ps.
