CITY OF SAN FERNANDO Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday urged the San Fernando Electric Light and Power Company Inc. (SFELAPCO) to comply the order of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to refund its consumers P650-million for power generation charges.

During her courtesy visit at the office of San Fernando Mayor Vilma Caluag, Hontiveros expressed support on the crusade to oppose the power rate hike in the city.

“Kung meron ng order ang ERC sa kumpanya (SFELAPCO) tungkol do’n sa refund ng walong taon, maganda sanang ipatupad na ‘yan,” the senator said.

On March 3, 2023, the ERC directed SFELAPCO to refund P654,397,381.48 to consumers for implementing its Power Supply Agreement with AP Renewables Inc. from 2013 to 2022 sans approval from the commission.

Hontiveros also said that SFELAPCO could have suspended its scheduled increase in generation charge which started earlier this year as a show of good faith on the ERC order and its consumers.

“Maganda sana kung as confidence-building measure ay hindi na muna nagtaas ulit ng singil pero hindi yata ganun ang nangyari,” she said.

The senator however recognized the right of the power distribution utility to exercise the rights in resolving the matter.

“Lahat naman ng kumpanya at mamamayan ang may karapatan na magkaso at umaasa nalang ako na mabibigay ang hustisya sa mamamayan. Hoping for the best po ako,” she said.