House urged to repeal EPIRA

MANILA, Philippines — A progressive lawmaker Thursday urged fellow members in the House of Representatives to support efforts to repeal the Electricity Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) after consumers of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco).

Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan complained that Meralco has been billing its costumers an average of P10.35 per kilowatt-hour (kwh) in 2010, a rate which is more than twice as much the rate of P4.87 per kwh in 2001 just before EPIRA was enacted.

Citing data from a consumer group People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (POWER), Ilagan said EPIRA has failed to protect consumers from alleged abuses and greediness by electric companies all over the country.

“The EPIRA is a failure. That Filipino families now contend with having to pay the highest electricity rates in Asia is enough proof that Congress has done a great disservice by enacting this law,” Ilagan said

“I urge my colleagues in Congress to correct this error and immediately review and repeal the EPIRA and pass measures that will bring help electricity rates down,” she said.