16/06/2026
We welcome Meralco's petition before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to return approximately โฑ9 billion in overcollections to consumers. This is a positive step and an acknowledgment that Filipino electricity consumers deserve to receive back funds that should not have remained with the utility.
However, while Meralco has proposed spreading the refund over 36 months, we believe consumers should not have to wait three years to recover money that rightfully belongs to them. We urge the ERC to shorten the refund period and require that the entire โฑ9 billion be returned within one year.
At a time when households are facing higher electricity costs due to recent grid alerts and power supply constraints, accelerating the refund would provide more meaningful and immediate relief to millions of consumers. The ERC has already demonstrated its willingness to expedite consumer refunds in the past to cushion the impact of rising power rates. We believe the same approach should be applied here.
At the same time, transparency and accountability must remain paramount. We support a thorough audit and verification process to ensure that consumers receive every centavo they are entitled to and that all refund computations are accurate and fair.
Consumers deserve both immediate relief and full accountability. We therefore support the return of the โฑ9 billion to consumers, but we strongly urge the ERC to ensure that the refund is completed within one year rather than stretched out over 36 months. We will continue to monitor the matter closely to ensure that the promised benefits are actually felt by Filipino families.
