SENATOR Risa Hontiveros has called for the adoption of a "no disconnection policy" for electricity consumers who are contesting their Meralco bills over alleged overbilling, saying households should not be forced to pay disputed charges just to avoid losing power while complaints remain unresolved.
The senator made the appeal amid mounting complaints from consumers who claimed they received unusually high electricity bills allegedly caused by erroneous meter readings.
The issue has prompted the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to investigate billing concerns and require Meralco to address consumer complaints.
"Consumers who were erroneously charged should not be forced to pay disputed charges just to keep their lights on. Hindi nila kasalanan na mali ang meter reading. Hindi konsyumers ang dapat mag-adjust," Hontiveros said in a statement.
She said that consumers with legitimate billing disputes should not be compelled to settle contested amounts before their complaints are resolved.
Hontiveros urged the ERC to exercise its mandate of protecting electricity consumers by ensuring a swift and impartial resolution of billing complaints.
"ERC should do something about this. Mandato nila na pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga consumers. Dapat tiyakin nila na may mabilis, patas, at epektibong proseso sa pagresolba ng billing disputes, at hindi nalalagay sa alanganin ang mga konsyumer," the senator added.
She noted that complaints over allegedly inflated electricity bills have continued to increase, citing one case in which a household was reportedly billed for electricity consumption despite having its circuit breakers switched off while the family was away on vacation.
For its part, Meralco maintained that customers with pending billing disputes are protected while their complaints are being evaluated.
Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said customers with pending billing concerns are not required to pay the disputed amount while their cases are under review and that their electric service will not be disconnected during the investigation.
He added that the company also suspended disconnection activities for customers with unpaid electricity bills covering the May to July 2026 billing periods in compliance with an ERC directive.
The temporary suspension forms part of the regulator's broader relief measures, which also include flexible payment arrangements for qualified consumers amid elevated electricity costs.
"We would like to reiterate that we continuously address the concerns of all customers regarding their electricity bills, consumption, or meter reading through our official customer touch points," Zaldarriaga said.
"Rest assured that we have been diligently reviewing and resolving every customer concern brought to our attention," he added.
The ERC earlier ordered all power distribution utilities, including Meralco, to suspend electricity disconnections for unpaid May to July 2026 bills and directed utilities to provide installment payment options for qualified consumers as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising electricity costs.
The regulator has also encouraged consumers who believe their bills are erroneous to file complaints through the proper channels for prompt investigation and resolution. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)