By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Senator Risa Hontiveros is urging authorities to temporarily suspend electricity disconnections for consumers disputing their Manila Electric Company (Meralco) bills, saying households should not lose power over charges stemming from alleged meter-reading errors.
In a statement released Friday, Hontiveros called for a “disconnection freeze” to protect customers contesting what they believe are inaccurate electricity bills.
“Consumers who were wrongly billed should not be compelled to pay disputed charges simply to keep their electricity connected,” the senator said, stressing that customers should not bear the consequences of faulty meter readings.
The appeal came after several consumers complained of unusually high electricity bills, which they attributed to erroneous meter readings.
Hontiveros cited a reported case involving a household that received a substantial electricity bill despite having switched off its circuit breakers while the family was away on vacation. According to the senator, Meralco later acknowledged that the overbilling resulted from an error committed by one of its meter readers.
Under current Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) policy, consumers disputing their electricity bills are advised to settle the charges “under protest” while their complaints are being investigated to prevent service disconnection.
Hontiveros argued that the arrangement places an undue financial burden on consumers, particularly families already struggling with rising living costs.
“If the dispute is found to be legitimate, it is unjust to require consumers to pay first. That money could have been used for food, medicine, education, or other household necessities,” she said.
The senator also urged the ERC to strengthen consumer safeguards by expediting the resolution of billing complaints and ensuring that affected customers receive fair treatment throughout the process.
To address the issue, Hontiveros announced that she would file a Senate resolution seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation, through the Senate Committee on Energy.
The proposed investigation aims to determine the extent of reported billing errors, assess the effectiveness of existing consumer protection mechanisms, and identify legislative measures that would prevent unjust billing practices and improve accountability in electricity service.
As of Friday, both Meralco and the ERC had yet to issue official statements in response to Hontiveros’ proposal and the latest concerns raised over disputed electricity bills.
ia/xf
