Meralco extends grace period anew

MANILA, Philippines — There will be no line disconnections for unpaid electricity bills this year as Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) extends the grace period until the end of January 2021.

Meralco president and CEO Ray Espinosa said the extended grace period will benefit more than three million Meralco customers with consumption of 200 kilowatts per hour and below during the billing month of December.

This represents around 47 percent of Meralco’s total customer base, he said.

Meralco’s decision follows the request of Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to extend the grace period on unpaid electricity bills and hold off disconnecting lights and power this Christmas season.

In his letter response dated Dec. 14, Espinosa informed Velasco that after “careful evaluation and in consideration” of his request, Meralco will extend its no-disconnection policy for non-payment of bills from Dec. 31, 2020 to Jan. 31, 2021.

Velasco welcomed the move of Meralco, saying it’s keeping with the spirit of bayanihan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The extended grace period being given to our fellow Filipinos during the holiday season will provide much needed reprieve to those reeling from the devastating effects of the pandemic and natural calamities,” he said.

“This good gesture on the part of Meralco will go a long way in helping our kababayan feel secure this Christmas,” he added.

This is the fourth time the country’s largest power distributor has extended its moratorium on the disconnection of services to consumers since it set its original deadline on unpaid bills at the end of August.

Velasco, who headed the House committee on energy before being Speaker, had been in constant communication with Meralco since July to work out an extension of the no-disconnection policy.

He presented grievances by consumers ranging from overcharging and double charging to surge in consumption versus the months prior to pandemic, even when businesses were closed during the quarantine or houses were unoccupied and payments not credited properly.

Back then, Meralco vice president and head of customer retail services and corporate communications Victor Genuino agreed to the proposal of Velasco by first extending the moratorium on disconnections to Sept. 30 and then again till Oct. 31.

The Manny V. Pangilinan-owned firm also extended the grace period until Dec. 31, 2020.

But again, Velasco wrote Espinosa last Nov. 30, stating: “We appreciate that Meralco had extended the same courtesy during the height of the nationwide lockdown and we expect that the company will be as considerate this yuletide season.”

In yielding to the Speaker’s request to extend the no-disconnection policy until Jan. 31, 2021, Espinosa believes the period will allow consumers more time to raise funds to cover their bills. – Delon Porcalla