Amnesty for blacklisted Meralco customers sought

MANILA, Philippines - A Quezon City councilor has filed a resolution seeking the grant of amnesty to blacklisted Manila Electric Company (Meralco) customers to enable them to re-subscribe to the utility provider.

Once approved by the city council, second district Councilor Ranulfo Ludovica’s proposed resolution will formally request Meralco to allow blacklisted subscribers to re-apply for subscription.

Ludovica said the amnesty would curb installation of a jumper, reversal of electrical transformers, destruction of meters and other illegal electrical connections.

“Illegal use of electricity does not only prejudice the legitimate subscribers or registered customers whose monthly billing are adversely affected, as it appears to be higher than the actual consumption, but also poses threat to the lives of innocent people who might be victimized by overload explosion or conflagration,” he said.

Through amnesty, the blacklisted Meralco subscribers will have the opportunity to start anew and legalize their electric consumption, Ludovica added.

The councilor stressed that the amnesty would be given on the condition that the consumers would settle their unpaid bills or illegally consumed electricity.

He said allowing blacklisted consumers to re-apply for subscription would reduce incidents of fire and minimize Meralco’s “systems loss.”

The proposed resolution mandates that an endorsement or recommendation coming from the Quezon City housing, community development and resettlement department must be submitted to the utility provider prior to the grant of amnesty.