Around 2.6 million customers within the Manila Electric Co. (MERALCO) will continue to receive reductions in their electricity bills mandated under Republic Act 11552 or the Extended Lifeline Rate Act.
In a report by the Manila Bulletin, the Vice President of MERALCO, Lawrence S. Fernandez said that the total amount of discounts will be from P320 million to P3.84 billion yearly.
The “Lifeline Rate” is a contribution collected from the monthly electric bills of customers that consume 101 kilowatt-hours (kWh) and higher.
Under the Lifeline Rate Extension Act, the lifeline rate subsidy has provided relief to the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that consume not more than 100 kWh of electricity per month.
In line with this directive, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is working with the DSWD with the intention to remove customers residing in condominiums and gated villages from the list of beneficiaries
The Extended Lifeline Rate Act has extended the duration of the lifeline subsidy rate for 50 years from the passage of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001.