VECO consumers complain anew of high bills

CEBU, Philippines — Consumers of the Visayan Electric (formerly Visayan Electric Company or VECO) have once again complained about their high electricity bills this month.

One consumer, who asked for anonymity, said their April electric bill increased by at least 30 percent.

“We were surprised when our electric bill went up to more than P14,000 or around P15,000 from our usual bill of around P10,000 a month,” he said.

Another consumer echoed the same, saying his bill for this month increased to around P6,000 from the average monthly bill of roughly P4,000.

A field worker also said she and her partner were shocked at how high their bill for April was at over P7,000.

“That’s significantly too high for two people. Everyday we are out working and return home late at night. So how’s that?” she said.

She said the high electricity bills are just adding more anxiety to blue-collar workers like them amid the crisis.

“She said the latest bill had left many households in distress, especially those who lost their jobs,” she added.

Last year, Visayan electric consumers also complained of electric bills twice or thrice as high as their billings before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spike in generation charge

Visayan Electric president and chief operating officer Raul Lucero explained that the hike in electricity bills was due to the increase in generation charges.

This, he said, explains customers’ higher electricity bills since March owing also to the increase in fuel (coal and bunker) prices and higher prices of electricity at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).

“We have to emphasize that the increase is not reflected in Visayan Electric’s distribution rate, but in the generation charges, which goes to the power generators,” he said.

Cebu’s electricity has always been one of the most expensive power rates in the country.

Quennie Sanchez-Bronce, Visayan Electric reputation enhancement manager, said the average increase for March 2021 to April 2021 billing cycle was about P90 for a household that has a 200-kilowatt per hour consumption.

Lucero said high bills for the months of March, April and May are also expected with the onset of dry season.

“March, April, and May are considered the hottest months of the year in the Philippines, which is a period when cooling appliances such as air conditioners and electric fans work harder and longer, leading to greater electricity consumption,” he said.

Tips

With this, Visayan Electric, the second largest power distributor in the country, has urged its customers to be more conscious in managing their power usage, especially during the “summer” months when they may experience a spike in their electric bills.

It said some of the basic practices customers can adopt are unplugging appliances when not in use and turning off lights when not needed as there are certain devices that consume “phantom load” or the electricity used up by plugged-in appliances even when turned off or on standby mode.

Other tips that consumers may find useful include checking their air-conditioning unit, using the right air conditioner for the right room size and cleaning the unit regularly.

When using electric fans, it said, this should also be properly maintained and cleaned.

Refrigerators should be placed in the coolest part of the room. Food wrappings should also be removed before putting inside the refrigerator.

During daytime, Visayan Electric also recommends opening curtains or using light-colored drapes to allow natural light to seep through the rooms.

 “Visayan Electric assured its customers that it is keen on fulfilling its promise of reducing power rates in Cebu, initiating a competitive selection process as it seeks to renegotiate contracts with some of its power suppliers,” the statement read. — KQD (FREEMAN)