Metro Manila, Philippines – The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) on Monday countered claims of “additional fees” after consumers began complaining on social media about higher charges.
In a press briefing, the company reiterated that it is only complying with government-mandated “pass through” charges such as the Senior Citizen subsidy, Lifeline Rate subsidy, and Universal Charge, similar to other electricity providers.
These fees also include the Feed-in Tariff Allowance and Green Energy Auction Allowance, which are paid by end-users.
“Meralco, just like other electricity distributors across the country, operates under strict regulatory oversight that ensures all charges are lawful, transparent, and properly vetted. Every line item in your electricity bill has been approved before it is reflected and implemented,” said Joe R. Zaldarriaga, vice president and head of corporate communications, .
Meralco said its monthly billing shows a clear breakdown of charges, allowing consumers to see where their payments go.
“These mandated charges are remitted to the government through the relevant agencies. To reiterate, these are not new charges, and they are not exclusive to Meralco, as these are implemented by all distribution utilities and electric cooperatives in the country,” said Zaldarriaga.
He said Meralco is “highly regulated” and all its billing is subject to rigorous review and clearance before implementation.
