Senator Bam Aquino said electricity subsidies and mandated discounts should be charged to the national budget—not passed on to consumers, especially the low- and middle-income groups.
In Senate Resolution No. 375, Aquino wants a review of how the lifeline rate under EPIRA is designed, targeted, and funded, amid complaints that non-beneficiaries are the ones shouldering the cost through cross-subsidy.
He noted that these charges could add a few centavos per kWh, or around P20 to P100 monthly, to the bills of households that don’t even qualify for the subsidy.
“Busisiin natin ang karagdagang bayad na ito. Marami nang naghihirap na Pilipino at middle class. Hindi na dapat dagdagan ang gastusin ng taumbayan kung may pera naman ang gobyerno para sa ayuda,” Aquino said.
Aquino clarified he is not pushing to remove the lifeline subsidy, but to make sure it’s fair, transparent, and sustainably funded, without shifting the burden to other consumers already hit by rising costs.IMT
