QC dads condemn high power rates

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City council has passed a resolution expressing “the strong sense of protest and opposition” to high electricity rates charged by power companies.

“Power generation charges in Metro Manila have risen from P4.87 per kilowatt hour in 2000 to P11.40 per kWh in 2013, which represents an increase of 134.1 percent,” read the measure authored by fifth district Councilor Karl Castelo.

The measure also called on the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to strictly exercise its regulatory powers to reduce cost of electricity.

Castelo, who said the price of electricity in Metro Manila is the third highest in the Asia-Pacific region, filed the proposal in April amid the issues concerning the power rate requests of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).

It was filed a week after the Manila City council approved a similar resolution.

Copies of the resolution will be forwarded to Meralco and the ERC.

In December, Meralco announced a pass-on additional charge of P4.15 per kWh, the highest increase proposed by company, which is now pending before the Supreme Court. The ERC has since ordered a recalculation for the charges.