Sen. Francis Tolentino —Photo from his office
MANILA, Philippines – Sen. Francis Tolentino raised serious concerns on Friday about the apparent inefficiency of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) in managing power rate resets, noting how it handled the rate reset process for Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
Tolentino zeroed in on the ERC’s lack of action on Meralco’s case for nearly 10 years, having granted Meralco’s request to withdraw its rate reset application last Oct. 30 when the company’s last rate reset lapsed in 2015.
Article continues after this advertisement“It’s troubling that the ERC, under both past and present leaderships, has failed to tackle this issue. Why has it taken so long for them to act on the long overdue rate reset process? It should have taken action before July 2022, but it allowed the issue to drag on. In short, they were caught napping),” Tolentino said in a mix of English and Filipino.
FEATURED STORIES NEWSINFO SC fires judge involved in wife’s illegal deals NEWSINFO 3rd impeach rap filed vs VP Duterte; Leni Robredo ally an endorser NEWSINFO Be aware of prohibited items at airports, OTS tells publicREAD: Average hike of P21 seen in Meralco December bill
He stressed that the ERC failed to provide a proper and timely rate review due to the lack of rules for setting the distribution wheeling rates.
Article continues after this advertisement“As a government agency, the ERC must be vigilant and proactive in safeguarding public interests. They cannot afford to be complacent while consumers are exposed to its inefficiencies and exploitation from the power sector,” he said.
Article continues after this advertisementBecause of this, Tolentino called for immediate action from the ERC to ensure accountability and transparency in its operations.
Article continues after this advertisementFilipinos deserve a regulatory body that acts swiftly and effectively to protect their rights and interests, he stressed
“Our fellow Filipinos worked hard to earn each peso to make ends meet. The least the ERC can do is to do its job,” he said.
A representative from the company told the Inquirer that prospective areas include Iloilo, Davao, Cavite, Bulacan, and Metro Manila.
Article continues after this advertisementMeanwhile, Tolentino urged the ERC to ensure the processes for refunding Meralco customers would be timely and transparent. ERC recently ordered Meralco to refund some P987.16 million to its customers for improperly charged fees related to regulatory rate resets.
READ: ‘No definite computation’ on Meralco consumer refund – ERC
Some 16 other distribution utilities are expected to return P189.98 million, bringing the total refund amount to around P1.1777 billion. These fees were collected despite no actual regulatory reset taking place, with costs instead covered by the government’s budget.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
“ERC must take proactive measures to prevent such issues from recurring and to uphold its responsibility to protect the consumers’ welfarejili178,” he said.
READ NEXT INQToday: Alice Guo’s petition for bail denied by Pasig court Marcos gives P60M aid to Mount Kanlaon eruption victims EDITORS' PICK At 46, Manny Pacquiao still ‘ready to rumble’ as boxer, senator NBA: ‘Embarrassing’ night for Stephen Curry, Warriors vs Grizzlies In wartime Bethlehem, Christmas joy hard to find Trinity Rodman says relationship with father Dennis Rodman is strained How to use the eGov app for easy Pinoy government services Yearend 2024: Carlos Yulo and a golden year for Philippine sports MOST READ Comelec warns against 2025 election 'advanced victory' scheme Free toll on SMC expressways on Christmas, New Year's Eve GOT7 to drop mini-album 'Winter Heptagon' for 2025 return SC fires judge involved in wife’s illegal deals Follow @FMangosingINQ on Twitter --> View comments
jili178 52 mpox cases in PH re
jili no.1 Marcos allots P130 m
jili178 TB prevalent in Tondo
jili no.1 Pols not allowed to