A CONSUMER advocacy group in Cebu is urging power distributors to halt any planned rate increases and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply over the Christmas season, warning that rising utility costs are straining household budgets.
The Cebu Electricity Rights Advocates (Cera) said many families are being forced to choose between paying electricity and water bills and covering basic needs, after both utilities raised rates toward the end of 2025.
“As Cebuanos prepare for the holidays, we are seeing a heartbreaking reality,” Cera convenor Nathaniel Chua said. “With water and power rates rising at the same time, our people are at breaking point.”
Cera said the Metropolitan Cebu Water District implemented a 12 percent water rate increase effective Oct. 1, 2025, adding about P56 a month for a household consuming 21 cubic meters. The Cebu Electric Cooperative III also raised residential power rates in December by around P0.47 per kilowatt-hour, further lifting expenses during the peak holiday period.
After a year marked by power interruptions and grid fragility, the group called for a “zero-outage” Christmas season and a temporary rate freeze. It warned of possible further bill pressures from volatile generation charges and elevated prices in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market.
Cera urged utilities to pre-position maintenance crews, ensure rapid fault resolution, clearly disclose pass-through charges, and prioritize power lines serving hospitals and water facilities. It also called for more equitable service restoration between urban and outlying areas.
The group appealed for utilities to suspend planned rate adjustments in the first quarter of 2026 and impose a temporary moratorium on disconnections for low-income households until end-January 2026, noting that informal workers are among those most affected by higher costs. / KOC