No rest for Pinoy consumer: Meralco bills rise this month

MANILA, Philippines- There looks to be no respite for the Filipino consumer currently facing surging prices of rice, as the country's largest electricity distributor announced that its customers should expect to pay at least P19 more for the power they use in April. In a statement, Manila Electric Co., which distributes electricity to Metro Manila and bulk of Luzon, said prices from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, its chief source of electricity, shot up by P4.7466 per kwh in March 2008, to P10.6822 per kwh from P5.9356 per kwh in February. Meralco will be passing on the additional charges to its customers this April. According to data from the company, residential customers consuming 200 kwh per month will see their bills increase by 8.95 percent or by P149 this month, as the distribution charge for this bracket increases P0.5729 per kwh. Consumers in the lifeline levels will experience lower rate hikes. Those consuming only 50 kwh a month, will see an increase of P19, while those consuming 70 kwh will see their bills rise P35. Customers who use 100 kwh per month will see an increase of P61 in their bills. Another reason cited for the increase was the higher procurement cost brought about by shutdown of one of its independent power producers, Quezon Power Philippines Ltd., which had a scheduled maintenance during the period. Meralco maintained that it will not benefit from the cost adjustments, as these will only "pass through" them and go to their power suppliers. However, this will come as no consolation to the Filipino consumer, who is currently facing a "rice price crisis." The price of the country's staple in the world market has doubled in the past year, increasing local demand for cheap, subsidized rice. – GMANews.TV