Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill seeking to remove system loss charges from consumers’ electricity bills, saying Filipinos should not pay for power they never used.
The proposed System Loss Charge Abolition Act follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call during his SONA to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) and stop charging consumers for system losses, including the value-added tax imposed on them.
According to Gatchalian, removing the charge would provide immediate relief to consumers at a time when the Philippines continues to have one of the highest electricity rates in Southeast Asia.
He said system loss charges account for around 5 to 6 percent of a typical Meralco bill.
Based on Meralco data, a household consuming 200 kWh paid an average of P1,787.38 in system loss charges over the past year, excluding VAT.
“Filipino families should not be forced to pay for electricity they never used,” Gatchalian said.IMT
