We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.
The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ...
Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.
Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyse the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.
The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) and the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) party-list are appealing to the public to be more responsible in using electricity, as dry months
The Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) and the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) party-list are appealing to the public to be more responsible in using electricity, as dry months persist and temperatures continue to increase.
This comes in light of Republic Act 11285 or the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act, prompting the Department of Energy (DOE) to “create a national energy efficiency and conservation plan or the NEECP,” The law also compels the DOE to formulate a database aimed to provide information on energy consumption and application of energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies.
The DOE is currently finalizing the law’s implementing rules and regulations.
“Parallel to the national government and the DOE’s thrust towards energy efficiency, we deem it best that we further strengthen our information campaign for our member-consumer-owners, specifically in the residential segment, to be more responsible in their consumption. This will ultimately redound to average, if not lower, monthly bills, despite the rising temperatures,” PHILRECA President and Party-List Rep. Presley De Jesus said in a joint statement.
MERALCO’s historical data shows that households increase their consumption from 10-40% compared to cooler months, depending on the segment they are in. This is mostly driven by the shift in ambient temperature’s impact to appliance performance, as well as additional time these are used.
MERALCO FVP and Chief Commercial Officer Ferdinand Geluz pointed out that community quarantine restrictions also contributed to increased consumption.
“This pandemic brought a shift in consumption specifically in households. With online classes still ongoing, and many still on work-from-home arrangements, the knowledge to be able to use electricity more responsibly becomes more important,” Geluz said.
PHILRECA, together with its 121-member electric cooperatives, will beef up its information and education campaign to propagate tried and tested methods to help consumers use electricity wisely and empower them with information to help them avoid bill shocks.
MERALCO, for its part, is encouraging use of the appliance calculator found in the power giant’s mobile app, to compute how much each appliance consume. Data from these are from its PowerLab appliance testing facility, which can determine appliance consumption to the peso level.
Meanwhile, consumer group Laban Konsyumer has lauded MERALCO for extending its no-disconnection policy until the end of April.
“Our group believes that it is important and very crucial for consumer welfare that Meralco and other DUs’ business operations, including meter reading and bill delivery activities, will continue throughout the MECQ. This will ensure that actual consumption for the month will be billed accordingly,” Laban Consumer president and former Trade Usec. Vic Dimagiba said in a statement.
