The Manila Electric Co. said customers with unpaid electricity bills from May to July will not face service disconnection.
Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga told reporters yesterday that customers with pending billing concerns will not be disconnected even after July while their cases are under investigation. “Rest assured that we have been diligently reviewing and resolving every customer concern brought to our attention,” he said.
The Energy Regulatory Commission earlier ordered a nationwide suspension of electricity disconnections for the May to July 2026 billing periods amid the ongoing Middle East war. The commission also directed utilities to implement staggered or deferred payment schemes.
For accounts already disconnected with pending complaints, customers need only pay 10 percent of the disputed amount to restore service. Sen. Risa Hontiveros said consumers who were allegedly erroneously billed should not be forced to pay disputed charges just to keep their lights on.
This month Meralco raised power rates by P0.3428 per kilowatt-hour. Households consuming 200 kWh now pay P14.8261 per kWh overall.
