4Ps beneficiaries in Philippines to enjoy electricity bill discount in January

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Starting January 2024, beneficiaries of the government's Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps and those considered to be living below the poverty threshold could enjoy discounts in their electricity bills.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said one should register in the government's lifeline electricity rate program to avail oneself of the program.

'This is a Christmas gift for our kababayans struggling in life. The government will expand the electricity subsidy come January 2024,' Gatchalian, principal author of Republic Act 11552 or an Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate, said in Filipino.

Gatchalian said the subsidy is meant to assist those who are adversely affected by the volatility of fuel prices and the high cost of basic commodities.

The program covers households unable to pay bills, including beneficiaries of 4Ps, or customers considered to be living below the poverty threshold set by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Not everyone may be able o get a discount, though, as he noted that a beneficiary should not consume more than 100 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month to enjoy the subsidy.

'We pushed for this measure because we wanted more people to benefit from the subsidy program,' the senator said.

For those living within the franchise area of the Manila Electric Co., the subsidy could range between 20 to 100 percent, depending on the amount of electricity they consume. The power reduction rate varies depending on the prevailing rates of the distribution utilities or electric cooperatives.

Gatchalian urged the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Energy and Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure the enrollment would not be too cumbersome for the 4Ps beneficiaries.

He noted that the three agencies earlier delayed the implementation of the new lifeline rate program from September this year to January 2024 in a bid to allow the enlistment of more 4Ps beneficiaries.

'The government must step up efforts to get deserving households on the list of beneficiaries and ensure that the enrollment procedure is both convenient and expeditious. There should also be an intensified information and dissemination campaign to reach as many beneficiaries as possible,' Gatchalian said.