Members of the so-called “Young Guns” bloc in the House of Representatives on Monday voiced strong support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s reform of the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program, which seeks to automatically grant electricity subsidies to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).
La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jay Khonghun, Lanao del Sur 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong, and Manila 1st District Rep. Ernix Dionisio said the measure would significantly improve the delivery of assistance to low-income families.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers described the initiative as a “game-changer” under the Marcos administration, noting that making the lifeline subsidy automatic for 4Ps households would remove bureaucratic hurdles that often delay the release of benefits.
“By making the lifeline subsidy automatic for 4Ps households, we are cutting through bureaucracy, so help reaches exactly where it is needed most—without delay and without hassle,” they said.
The group added that the reform would help protect vulnerable families from rising energy costs while also paving the way for long-term solutions, including access to renewable energy.
Under the enhanced program, qualified low-income and marginalized households enrolled in 4Ps would no longer need to file separate applications or undergo additional verification processes to receive the electricity subsidy.
The lawmakers said automatically extending the benefit to eligible households would address administrative bottlenecks and ensure faster, more efficient assistance.
They also called on the Department of Energy, electric cooperatives, and other implementing agencies to ensure the prompt and seamless rollout of the automatic subsidy mechanism.
At the same time, they encouraged 4Ps beneficiaries to check their enrollment status so they can immediately avail themselves of the program.
The bloc likewise lauded the administration’s continued push for pro-poor initiatives designed to deliver direct and meaningful support to marginalized communities.