The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has directed the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), alongside other private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, to halt all power disconnections for consumers unable to settle their bills.
The suspension takes effect immediately and will run until July 2026. The directive is in alignment with an executive order that placed the country under a national state of energy emergency due to skyrocketing energy costs.
In addition to the disconnection ban, the ERC mandated power firms to offer staggered payment terms for low-income consumers who use up to 200 kilowatt-hours (kWh). Under this arrangement, eligible customers can divide their May billing into three equal parts, paying one-third each month until July alongside their regular June and July usage.
If a consumer’s July bill also qualifies for the scheme, the payments can be extended across three equal installments up to September.
ERC Chairman Nino Juan explained that both the moratorium on disconnections and the flexible payment options are designed to alleviate the financial strain on households currently grappling with high inflation fueled by elevated oil prices.