Metro Manila woke up on June 1 when it was placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ). Some businesses were allowed to open and those who still had jobs went off to work, albeit under hard transportation situations. But now, after more than two months of one of the strictest quarantines in the world, many are experiencing an extremely rude awakening.
Meralco started sending their bills which were halted under the quarantine. The bill reflected the supposedly average consumption made by the customer over the last three months since electric meters were not read. The outrage was swift and fierce over this electric shock. Perhaps not receiving any bills for the past three months placed many in a state of complacency, so the arrival of the bill made some faint. Meralco then sent another bill supposedly reflecting the actual consumption. Many still were in disbelief. The company will now send another bill where an installment scheme will be reflected for those who wish to avail. According to Meralco, since people stayed home and at the height of summer, the consumption of each home really increased. That's their explanation. Still many cannot believe they used that much electricity.
And if that is not enough to ruin your day, the water torture has likewise commenced. Water bills were also shockingly high. According to Maynilad and Manila Water, that is the actual consumption of recent months. Again, since people stayed at home at the height of summer, they most likely bathed more often than usual. That's their explanation. An installment scheme will supposedly be offered by both companies.
The problem is when Metro Manila was under ECQ and MECQ, everything stopped. There was no business except for those food- and medicine-related. Work also ground to a halt, hence no income. Those who continued to receive their salaries during the lockdown were the fortunate ones, but there were also those who lost their jobs because of companies closing down due to the absence of revenue. So how could they pay these bills? Perhaps some sort of amnesty should be in place so people can get back on their feet. Just an observation. Something along the lines of the 30-day grace period that banks and financial institutions were obligated to observe regarding all loans. Honestly, I think those 30 days are not enough but that is what is stipulated in the Bayanihan Law. Everyone, be it businesses or individuals, must be given time to recover financially before all the bills demanded. Maybe a 60- or 90-day grace period. Many lost their jobs and some businesses were forced to close. Having a deluge of bills is enough to make anyone want to go back to sleep and avoid this daytime nightmare.