MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has intensified on-site applications and barangay caravans for the lifeline rate program to secure as many beneficiaries before it rolls out in September.
Eligible beneficiaries of this program, particularly marginalized households, will receive discounts to their electricity bills, ranging from 20% to 100% depending on their actual consumption.
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"While we have already engaged all local social welfare development offices or SWDOs in our franchise area, we will continue to reach out to more customers and we hope that the on-site applications will lead to the increase in the number of program beneficiaries," Joe Zaldarriaga, Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications, said.
Meralco is conducting caravans and on-site applications in the following cities and municipalities:
- Caloocan City
- Las Piñas City
- Manila City
- Parañaque City
- Quezon City
- Valenzuela City
- San Rafael, Bulacan
- Meycauayan, Bulacan
- San Pablo City, Laguna
- General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite
- General Trias, Cavite
- Taytay, Rizal
- Rodriguez, Rizal
- Mauban, Quezon
- Sariaya, Quezon
What is the lifeline rate?
Republic Act 9136, also known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, defines the lifeline rate as a subsidized rate provided to eligible low-income households incapable of covering their electricity expenses at the standard cost.
Through percentage discount tiers, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) establishes a socialized pricing for households consuming 100 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity or less per month.
Senior citizen discount can also be applied simultaneously with the lifeline rate.
A lifeline rate lasts up to 50 years, as per the amendment under Republic Act 11552 or the "Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001" signed by former President Rodrigo Duterte in May 2021.
Who can apply?
Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and households considered to be living below the poverty threshold and consuming 100 kWh of electricity or less may apply for the lifeline rate program.
If the 4Ps beneficiary would like to apply for the lifeline rate program, they must submit the following documents to the nearest Meralco Business Center:
- Accomplished lifeline rate application form
- Most recent Meralco bill
- 4Ps ID (if lost or unavailable, other valid government-issued IDs will be accepted)
For non-4Ps beneficiaries, households living below the poverty threshold set by the Philippine Statistics Authority should submit the following documents to the nearest Meralco Business Center:
- A Certification from the local Social Welfare and Development Office (SWDO) issued within the last six (6) months showing that his or her family income is below the poverty threshold set by the PSA and applicable at the time of his or her application
- Duly accomplished lifeline rate application form
- Most recent Meralco bill
- Any valid government-issued ID
Should qualified households exceed the 100 kWh in one month, the lifeline rate will not be applied, Meralco clarified. It, however, will be applied again to the monthly electricity bill that states a consumption of 100 kWh or less.
As of July, the ERC has recorded 12,829 4Ps beneficiaries who have applied for the lifeline rate program.
Once the lifeline rate is implemented in September, Meralco said only households with approved applications will continue to receive a discount. —Intern, Dominique Nicole Flores