Activist Priest in Quezon Welcomes P9.5-B Meralco Refund; Reforms Sought
More than 8 million customers will get a separate bill credit as the regulator reviews Meralco’s rates and broader power charges.
- On Sunday, August 2, the Energy Regulatory Commission ordered Manila Electric Company to refund P9.51 billion to consumers over six months after determining the utility collected excess revenue during 2025.
- This refund stems from a regulatory 'true-up' after the ERC declared 2025 a 'lapsed' period, during which Meralco collected revenue exceeding authorized distribution rates and necessitating compensation for unauthorized collections.
- Residential consumers will see an estimated monthly bill reduction of roughly P117 for 200 kilowatt-hours, with the refund appearing as a separate line item labeled "AWAT /Collect" on electricity bills.
- Meralco confirmed it will comply with the ERC directive, noting the adjustment follows previous clawbacks including a P40.5 billion refund from 2021 to 2023 and an ongoing P20 billion refund.
- Warren Puno, director of the Ministry of Ecology of the Diocese of Lucena, welcomed the mandate but urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to pursue broader energy sector reforms addressing charges accounting for around 5% of monthly bills.
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Activist priest in Quezon welcomes P9.5-B Meralco refund; reforms sought
LUCENA CITY, QUEZON, Philippines — Activist priest Fr. Warren Puno of Quezon province welcomed the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) order directing Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) to refund approximately P9.5 billion to consumers, but said the move should not be seen as a sufficient solution to the power sector’s long-standing problems. “It is a positive step. It shows that the government has mechanisms in place to ensure that the public is no…
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