21/08/2026
PRESS RELEASE
PARE calls for greater consumer voice in power policy-making
[] Technical working groups on power issues lack consumers voice
August 20, 2026, Makati City – The Philippine Advocates for Reliable Energy (PARE) is calling for stronger consumer representation in government-led discussions on power-sector policies, saying consumers should have a voice in shaping policies that directly affect the cost and reliability of electricity.
PARE Convenor Nic Satur made the call following the creation of a technical working group to discuss system loss after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 5th State of the Nation Address earlier this month. While PARE welcomes efforts to review policies affecting electricity costs, Satur said consumers should be part of these discussions from the policy-making and planning stages through implementation and monitoring.
“Sana part tayo doon sa policy making pa lang. Doon sa planning palang. Doon sa monitoring nung mga implemented na mga policies na pinag-uusapan ng mga ‘yan (Consumers should be part of the policy-making and planning stages. They should also be involved in monitoring whether the policies being discussed are actually implemented),” Satur said during an interview on Walang Bola, Puro Tama on D8TV on August 17, 2026.
Satur said consumer involvement should not begin only after policies have already been formulated. Instead, consumers should be given an opportunity to participate throughout the process, particularly in discussions involving issues that could affect their electricity bills.
He pointed out that consumers ultimately bear the impact of decisions made within the power sector, as various costs and charges are passed on to electricity customers.
“Kasi, nagugulat tayo pag usapinng bayarin. [Dapat] kasama ang consumers pag usaping polisiya. Wala ang mga consumers. Kaya ang nangyayari sa atin, FYI nalang talaga – ‘Uy tumaas na naman ang bill ng kuryente, no choice magbabayad tayo’ (We are often caught off guard when we receive our electricity bills. Consumers should therefore be included in discussions on power policies. But when they are left out of these discussions, everything becomes an ‘FYI’ for consumers — our electricity bills go up, and we simply have no choice but to pay),” Satur said.
Satur said the absence of consumers from policy discussions can leave them in a position where they simply receive the consequences of decisions after they have already been made.
PARE believes that giving consumers a more active role in policymaking can help government and industry stakeholders develop policies that strike a better balance between electricity affordability, reliability, and the long-term sustainability of the power sector.
For PARE, consumer participation is particularly important as electricity prices continue to rise while household incomes struggle to keep pace.
“Yung presyo ng kuryente pataas ng pataas. Yung sahod hindi pa tumataas. (Electricity prices continue to rise, while wages have yet to catch up),” Satur said.
PARE said consumers, as the end-users who ultimately shoulder the cost of electricity, should have a meaningful seat at the table when policies affecting the power sector are being developed, implemented, and reviewed. #
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