Senators push probe into rising electricity bills
MANILA, Philippines — Separate resolutions have been filed urging the Senate to investigate rising electricity costs and review policies in the energy sector.
The resolutions cited growing public grievances over the sudden surge in electricity bills and alleged irregularities in meter readings and the processing of consumer complaints.
Senate Resolutions No. 508, 509 and 511, filed separately by Sens. Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros and Ping Lacson, respectively, seek to revisit and revise policies governing the energy sector to address these complaints, particularly on consumer protection.
Revisit energy policies
Aquino pointed out that the Philippines is among the countries in Southeast Asia with the highest electricity costs, saying this highlights the need for legislative reforms.
According to data from GlobalPetrolPrices for the first quarter of 2026, as reported by Asian Business Review on July 8, the Philippines ranks second only to Singapore in residential electricity costs in Southeast Asia, at around $0.18 to $0.21 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
“Panahon nang malaman kung bakit nananatiling isa ang Pilipinas sa may pinakamataas na presyon ng kuryente sa Southeast Asia at kung paano ito mapapababa,” Aquino said.
(It’s time to investigate why the Philippines remains one of the countries with the highest costs of electricity in Southeast Asia and how we can reduce it.)
Hontiveros, meanwhile, sought to amend the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers to address what she called "ironically unfair" consumer protection policies of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).
The Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers, issued by the ERC, sets out the rights and obligations of electricity consumers.
Hontiveros said that under the framework, consumers have the right to question and complain about their electricity bills; however, the ERC also requires them to pay the disputed amount first to avoid power disconnection.
“Bakit nasa consumer ang responsibilidad na iwasto ang maling paniningil sa atin?” Hontiveros asked.
(Why are consumers burdened with the responsibility to correct the wrong collection of payments from us?)
Lacson's resolution also seeks measures to strengthen transparency and accountability among power service providers and protect consumers who experience "bill shock" and alleged irregularities in meter readings.
Bill shock
Lacson cited in his resolution complaints from consumers of Meralco, the country's largest private electric distribution utility, over "substantial and unexplained increases" in their electricity bills.
The lawmaker also noted that Meralco's residential rate increased from P13.2730 per kWh in January to P14.8261 per kWh in July this year.
Aside from Lacson, groups under the Power for People Coalition have also called on the ERC to audit Meralco's billings and impose penalties on the company over alleged anomalies in electricity readings.
“The ERC was created to protect public interest. Consumers should not be treated as captive sources of revenue whenever fuel prices rise or generation costs increase,” Aaron Pedrosa, lawyer and secretary-general of the progressive group Sanlakas, said.
The coalition also urged the ERC to extend the no-disconnection policy while investigations are ongoing.
The ERC, for its part, said it had anticipated consumer complaints, adding that it had been reminding the public to monitor their electricity consumption.
“Ilang buwan na ang nakalilipas ay sinasabi natin na bantayan natin ang konsumo ng ating kuryente dahil ang nakikita nga natin ay pataas ang trend ng presyo sa kuryente dahil sa doon sa pagtaas ng demand, pagnipis ng supply at iba pang kadahilanan,” ERC Chair Francis Saturnino Juan said in an interview with dzMM on Tuesday, July 14.
(For the past several months, we have been reminding the public to monitor their electricity consumption because we have been seeing an upward trend in electricity prices due to rising demand, tighter supply and other factors.)
Meralco is set to raise power rates again this July by P0.3428 per kWh, translating to an increase of about P69 for households consuming 200 kWh.
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