As the health crisis causes an extension of the lockdown until May 15, people and businesses whose livelihoods have been affected will have a difficult time paying their electricity bills.
In an effort to help Iloilo’s power consumers during this time of economic uncertainty, Panay Electric Company (PECO) has announced that it will not be collecting payments for power bills for the period of March onwards, until the crisis eases and the pending legal issues with More Electric and Power Corporation (MORE) have been clarified.
PECO will continue to send billing statements so that customers can keep track of their consumption, but the company urges them to hold off on paying for the time being. Additionally, customers may continue to pay PECO for the February billing cycle.
“It has already become too difficult for consumers, so we will not be collecting payments until the Courts’ and regulators’ decisions are clear,” said PECO head of Public Engagement and Government Affairs. “We have to respect the law and the law has not yet decided. I suggest that MORE do the same thing—that is, to not collect payments because the courts have not yet decided on the case. It is not fair to the consumers.”
Cacho was referring to the pending clarification with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) regarding the status of both companies’ Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN). MORE was granted a Provisional Authority, but it was revealed in a March 5 hearing by ERC Hearing Officer Atty. Ma. Corazon Gines that MORE had not officially been granted a CPCN by the ERC.
Moreover, Judge Emerald Contreras of the Iloilo Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) Branch 23 issued an addendum to the Writ of Possession used by MORE to takeover PECO’s substations stating that operations are to be strictly maintained by PECO personnel. This addendum was reiterated twice, once on March 2 and again on March 6. This information was also not supplied to the ERC prior to the March 5 hearing.
MORE has also previously claimed that it had been supplying power through its own contracts since early March. However, it had only officially registered with the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc. (IEMOP) on March 26. The company had previously tried to collect payments for the March billing cycle despite PECO’s continuous purchase of power for Iloilo City.
“Paying for bills is the last thing anyone should have to worry about given the current public health crisis, there is much more going on that needs attention,” said Cacho. “Our legal battle continues but let us show compassion and stand together in these trying times.”
