As we have predicted, gas-fired power plants will drive up the price of electricity. Meralco has just announced a 0.2834/kilowatt-hour rate hike or a Php 56.68 increase for the average residential households in power bills for February due to higher generation charges from Sta. Rita and San Lorenzo plants of FirstGen, both of which are powered by imported gas. With the Meralco franchise hurdling both the House and the Senate, and the gas bill passed into law, we can expect even more increases driven by the high cost of gas from world markets and the pricing routines of Meralco in the months to come.

The President should understand that fulfilling his promise to bring down electricity prices cannot be fulfilled for so long as gas is prioritized as an energy source by the government and Meralco is not held to account for its billing practices. The path to lower energy rates for all must start with choosing the right power source and ensuring that energy companies are not unduly enriching themselves at the expense of the consumer. Affordable and reliable electricity for all is a responsibility that the government cannot relinquish to the private sector. It must act, or this price increase will be a preview of worse things to come.

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Contact: Yves, 0966 389 2392⁩
p4pcoalition@gmail.com