Thursday, December 04, 2008 DSWD calls on consumers to avail of power subsidy
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Electric consumers in the Pampanga with below 100 kilowatt-hour electric consumption may still avail of the one-time Pantawid Kuryente cash subsidy of the National Government for marginalized electric consumers.
Social Welfare Regional Director Minda Brigoli has called on consumers to avail of the electric subsidy.
The Pantawid Kuryente: Katas ng Vat Project is a program launched by the Arroyo government as "a measure to fight against poverty." The DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) is the implementing agency of the said electric subsidy program.
"We are calling on our marginalized consumers to avail of this subsidy since we are nearing the final date for the implementation of the program," Brigoli said.
She added that availing of the electric subsidy would only be until December this year.
To cushion the impact of high cost of electricity, the National Government has subsidized the electric consumption of those consuming 100-kilowatt hours or less per month based on the billing period ending in May 2008.
The program is a one-time subsidy of P500 per claimant funded through the National Government from the P2 billion allocations derived from the value-added tax (VAT) collection.
It was implemented among Meralco franchise areas from June to October 2008 as well as in provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga and Gapan City in Nueva Ecija.
However, Brigoli said that more consumers have yet to avail of the said program.
In the latest data from the DSWD, 137,959 electric consumers have availed of the subsidy from the total target of 213,283 marginalized consumers.
"People should immediately take advantage of the subsidy since the money saved from the subsidy could be used for other expenses at home," Brigoli said.
She said unclaimed subsidies in Pampanga could be claimed at the DSWD regional office at Regional Government Center in Barangay Maimpis here. Consumers claiming for the said subsidy should bring personal identification and their electric bill during billing period ending in May 2008.
Randy Sanchez, a 46-year-old beneficiary in Apalit town, said the subsidy had been a great help to ease out on a few days of expenses.
"It's a great help since we could use the subsidy to pay for our bill and the save for other future expenses. I only wish that this (subsidy) could be done more often," he said.
