Partners For Affordable & Reliable Energy- Batangas Chapter

15/05/2026

LAWMAKERS have raised fresh concerns over the rising cost of electricity, calling for urgent reforms and questioning the fairness of current billing practices imposed on Filipino consumers.

Read more:
https://businessmirror.com.ph/2026/05/07/lawmakers-urge-reforms-in-electric-billing-system/

14/05/2026

In a bid to ease the financial burden on electricity consumers, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has ordered the temporary suspension of the Green Energy Auction Allowance (GEA-All) for the May and June 2026 billing periods.

Around P0.0371/kWh is being collected from consumers for the GEA-All charge.

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JmTnsoaTa/

14/05/2026

WATCH: PARE Chief Advocate Office Nic Satur, Jr. discusses the current power situation in the country and called for the modernization of the energy sector to protect consumers.

Watch the interview in the 1:30:00 mark.

13/05/2026

Party‑list representatives from PhilRECA and APEC have filed a resolution seeking congressional review of the Green Energy Auction Allowance (GEA‑All) charges imposed on electricity consumers.

PhilRECA Rep. Presley C. De Jesus and APEC Rep. Sergio C. Dagooc submitted House Resolution No. 978 on May 4, 2026 to examine the legality and constitutionality of the GEA‑All under ERC Resolution No. 06, Series of 2025.

The Power Bloc emphasized that renewable energy initiatives must rest on clear statutory authority, particularly when they involve additional consumer costs. The group welcomed the ERC’s suspension of the GEA-All but underscored the need for continued congressional scrutiny to ensure affordable electricity, transparency in billing, and consumer protection.

Read more:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18UJpzfya6/

08/05/2026

The implementation of the government-mandated lifeline rate collected by power distributors such as Meralco will undergo Senate scrutiny in light of growing complaints from consumers about spiking electricity bills.

Read more:
https://tribune.net.ph/2026/04/28/senate-to-probe-lifeline-rate-charges-passed-on-to-consumers

07/05/2026

The Senate will summon officials of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and power firm Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to explain the recent spike in electricity rates, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said Tuesday.

Read more:
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1273892

06/05/2026

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) recently came under fire from netizens after several of its customers noted substantial increases in their power bills.

Many consumers blamed charges on their electricity bills, such as “Lifeline” and “Senior Citizen” items, describing them as unfair and a way to pad Meralco’s bottom line during an energy crisis.

Read more:

(1st UPDATE) The Energy Regulatory Commission clarifies that these charges are mandated by law and are collected by all power distributors, not just Meralco

05/05/2026

The Department of Energy (DOE) expects a stable power supply through May even as the Luzon grid recently teetered on the edge of a shortage, provided the nation’s aging thermal power plants remain operational during the peak of the dry season.

Read more:
https://mb.com.ph/2026/04/27/doe-sees-stable-power-through-peak-summer

04/05/2026

Manila Bulletin columnist Myrna M. Velasco, in her column published on April 27, 2026, pointed out that P0.0371/kWh GEA-All charge "lacks explicit juridical anchoring in the RE Law."

She added that the legality ot GEA-All is questionable as it "traces its origin to a Department of Energy (DOE) circular—an administrative issuance whose authority rests more on regulatory interpretation than a clear legislative mandate."

Read her column here:
https://mb.com.ph/2026/04/27/no-solid-legal-basis-for-gea-all-charge-in-electric-bills

04/05/2026

In her column published on April 27, 2026, Manila Bulletin columnist Myrna M. Velasco said "the P0.0371/kWh GEA-All charge surreptitiously embedded in electricity rates is not anchored on solid statutory footing under Republic Act 9136 (EPIRA) or the Renewable Energy (RE) Act."

Read her column here:
https://mb.com.ph/2026/04/27/no-solid-legal-basis-for-gea-all-charge-in-electric-bills