SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian urged stricter qualifications for the government’s lifeline electricity rate, saying the subsidy should be limited to households that are genuinely in need.
Gatchalian raised the issue during a joint public hearing of the Senate Committees on Energy, Public Services, and Finance, where lawmakers reviewed the implementation of the discounted power rate intended to help low-income consumers reduce their monthly electricity bills.
He pointed out that previous rules relied mainly on low electricity consumption as the basis for eligibility, which allegedly allowed residents of high-end condominiums and subdivisions to benefit from the subsidy.
“We have to understand that this lifeline rate is not free. We are the ones paying for those subsidies. So it’s important that we make sure that those qualified are really qualified and deserve to be qualified,” Gatchalian said.
The senator noted that the existing law extends the lifeline rate for 50 years and provides clearer qualifications, including automatic coverage for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.
The law also allows electric utilities to include other marginalized sectors under the program.
Gatchalian further stressed the need to periodically review consumption thresholds, noting that household electricity usage patterns change over time due to new appliances and technologies.
According to Senate officials, discussions on refining the eligibility rules are expected to continue as lawmakers assess how to better target subsidies toward poor and vulnerable households while preventing misuse of public funds.
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