- CHERYL G. CRUZ
Electric cooperatives were told to continue accepting and processing applications from consumers seeking to avail of the lifeline rate program.
The complete rollout of the program, initially set for this month, has been moved to September 2023 due to low registration turnout, as of July 31, among beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and non-4Ps participants, who are low-income end-users, a tripartite advisory from the Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development said.
“Starting September 2023, only those who have approved applications shall be entitled to avail of the subsidy provided under the lifeline rate program,” added the advisory signed by DOE Secretary Raphael Lotill, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, and ERC chairperson Monalisa Dimalanta.
The ERC is hoping for increased registrants to the electricity lifeline rate subsidy, with the extension of the full rollout in September, Dimalanta said in a press conference in Iloilo Thursday.
She said about 12,000 4Ps beneficiaries have registered, as of July 31, an improvement when compared with the less than 2,000 applications, as of June 30.
“But maybe, we can do more. Maybe we can increase further and get us closer to the 4.2 million households, so we extended it to September,” Dimalanta said in a PNA report. “So, the full rollout will be September so that we can have more time to accelerate registration.”
She said that distribution utilities (DUs) or electric cooperatives are provided with a list of 4Ps members, so they can visit areas with a high concentration of indigent households for on-site registration.
She also encouraged social welfare and development offices in local government units to work hand-in-hand with distribution utilities to certify non-4Ps to be part of the lifeline rate.
Aside from 4Ps beneficiaries, the subsidized rate is also given to qualified marginalized or low-income end-users as part of the socialized pricing mechanism that provides for a percentage discount, except for those using net-metering services, and those apprehended for electricity pilferage.
For the Central Negros Electric Cooperative, a 50-percent discount will be given to registrants consuming 25 kilowatt-hour of electricity per month, with corresponding markdown for other low power consumers of up to 80kWh/month.
For the Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, its approved lifeline subsidy is 50 percent for consumers with 15kWh and below usage per month, and up to five percent discount for 21-25kWh users./CGC
