Zameco II to give discount, free electricity to consumers

CASTILLEJOS, Zambales -- The Zambales II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Zameco II) will give discount to all residential consumers, while free electricity will be granted to their lifeline consumers.

Zameco II general manager Alvin Farrales said all residents deserve the discount due to the implemented enhanced community quarantine.

“Electric bills for both April and May of all residential consumer accounts will be deducted by one peso per kilowatt-hour [KWh],” he said in an interview.

As of March 2020, power rate for residential is P9.88 per KWh but Farrales said it may be even lower for the month of April.

Moreover, lifeline consumers or those who will consume 25 KWh or less will not be paying electricity charges for the two-month billing period.

“This will cost us around P1.2 to P1.5 million but we have already allocated budget for this,” Farrales said.

The general manager revealed that they have realigned suspended activities which will not affect their operations to subsidize for the discounts.

He added that the initiatives are in support to the Pantawid Liwanag project of the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association Inc. and National Association of General Managers of Electric Cooperatives.

“Even before the project was announced, we came up with these initiatives to help residents to cope up with the crisis aside from the relief distribution we’ve conducted,” he furthered.

Moreover, about 200 employees and officers from the electric coop committed to donate P5,000 of their monthly salary as addition to subsidize the discount and free charges for consumers.

“With this, we want our member-consumer-owners to feel that this cooperative is theirs,” Farrales added. (PIA-Central Luzon)