A CONSUMER think tank called on the Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and Meralco to provide a complete explanation of how the amount to be refunded by the distribution utility reached ₱9.5 billion.
CONSUMA PH founder and spokesperson and former Party-list Representative Atty. Nathan “Nat” Oducado welcomed the regulator’s decision while urging government agencies to ensure that a similar situation never happens again.
“The refund, while welcome, is not enough,” said Oducado. “We need an explanation as to why the amount had to balloon to 9.5 Billion Pesos before being refunded, and concrete steps to ensure it will never happen again.”
The ERC recently ordered Meralco to refund approximately ₱9.5 billion in excess collections to its customers over six months, equivalent to an average refund of ₱0.3448 per kilowatt-hour across all customer classes and about ₱0.5861 per kilowatt-hour for residential consumers, which translates to around ₱117 for a typical household consuming 200 kilowatt-hours monthly.
“Mahalagang maibalik agad ang bawat sentimong hindi dapat naisingil sa mga konsyumer,” Oducado said. “Pero dapat ding linawin ng Meralco at DOE kung sino ang nagkulang at kung may dapat panagutin.”
The power distributor has publicly committed to comply with the ERC directive and implement the refund as soon as possible.
“May karapatan ang publiko na malaman kung paano umabot sa halos sampung bilyong piso ang kailangang ibalik sa mga nagbabayad ng kuryente,” Oducado said.
Oducado called on the ERC to release a clear, consumer-friendly explanation detailing the computations, regulatory decisions, and circumstances that resulted in the accumulation of the refund.
“Ang transparency ay hindi dapat para lamang sa mga eksperto dahil dapat itong maunawaan ng bawat pamilyang araw-araw na nagsisikap magbayad ng tumataas na singil sa kuryente,” Oducado said.
Oducado likewise urged the ERC, the Department of Energy (DOE), and Meralco to jointly review existing regulatory and billing mechanisms to prevent similar overcollections from accumulating over extended periods.
“Hindi dapat umabot sa bilyun-bilyong piso ang kailangang isauli bago magka-refund,” Oducado continued.
According to CONSUMA PH, Filipino households have endured persistently high electricity prices, with Meralco’s residential rate reaching ₱14.8261 per kilowatt-hour in July 2026, up from ₱14.4833 per kilowatt-hour in June, adding approximately ₱69 to the monthly bill of a household consuming 200 kilowatt-hours.
Oducado said the refund should also serve as an opportunity for regulators to strengthen oversight and improve public confidence in the country’s power sector.
“Hindi lang dapat itama ang nakaraan, dapat ding tiyaking hindi na ito mauulit, lalo na sa panahong bawat dagdag na piso sa singil sa kuryente ay direktang nagpapabigat sa gastusin ng mga pamilyang Pilipino,” Oducado said.
He added that greater transparency, stronger regulatory oversight, and regular public disclosure of rate adjustments and billing computations would help ensure accountability while protecting consumers from unnecessary financial burdens.
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