FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-list Representative Brian Poe has filed a legislative resolution urging the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to speed up the return of roughly ₱9 billion in overcharges collected by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).
House Resolution No. 1126 calls on the regulatory body to condense the disbursement timeline from Meralco’s proposed three years down to just a single year.
“Ang ₱9 bilyong ito ay pera ng mga konsyumer. Hindi sila dapat maghintay ng tatlong taon para maibalik ang pondong nararapat na sa kanila,” Poe stated.
The lawmaker emphasized that fast-tracking the multi-billion peso reimbursement is vital to easing the financial burden on citizens struggling with current economic conditions.
“Sa panahong maraming pamilyang Pilipino ang nahaharap sa mataas na singil sa kuryente, ang pagpapabilis ng refund ay magbibigay ng mas makabuluhan at agarang ginhawa sa milyon-milyong kabahayan,” he added.
The demand for a swifter payout follows petitions submitted by Meralco to the ERC on May 28 to return the ₱9 billion. The overcollection stems from discrepancies between actual distribution rates and the ERC-approved interim distribution charges levied on residential customers throughout 2025.
While Meralco suggested spreading the payback over 36 months—amounting to an approximate rate reduction of ₱0.09 per kilowatt-hour—Poe insists that consumers should receive their money much faster.
Beyond adjusting the timeline, the proposed resolution directs the ERC to conduct a comprehensive audit of all related financial logs and calculations to ensure that the public is fully compensated according to the law.
Poe also urged the commission to maintain strict transparency by releasing regular updates on the total amounts distributed, the exact math behind the figures, and the compliance mechanisms used to secure overall accountability.