THE government has extended the deadline of the full implementation of the new Lifeline Rate Program to January 2024 from September 2023 due to the low number of registrants.
The Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Energy Regulatory Commission issued an advisory resetting the deadline to give more time for qualified marginalized end-users (QMEs) to participate.
“In spite of the significant increase in the number of registrants, there remains a considerable number of QMEs who have yet to avail of the benefits if registering under the Lifeline Rate Program,” the advisory stated.
There are around 47,171 registered QMEs as of August 30, 2023.
The parties directed all distribution utilities (DUs) to exert more aggressive promotion efforts to disseminate information on the Lifeline Rate Program and to continue accepting and processing applications.
“To allow for the roll-out of more aggressive promotion and registration efforts from DUs, consumers and the government, as well as for the review of the registration requirements, the full implementation of the new Lifeline Rate Program is hereby moved to January 2024,” the advisory read.
It said starting January 1, 2024, only those who have approved applications would be entitled to avail of the subsidy provided under the Lifeline Rate Program.
The DOE has been asking household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program to avail of the program to continue getting discounts on their electricity bills.
Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla said there are 4.2 million household beneficiaries of 4Ps, but the registration for lifeline subsidy remains very low.
Lotilla said 4Ps beneficiaries need to do is simply apply and register with their distribution utilities or electric cooperatives (ECs).
The rate reduction varies depending on the prevailing rates of the DUs.
Lifeline end-users in the Meralco franchise area with zero to 20 kilowatt-hours of monthly consumption will be granted a 100 percent discount on the generation charges, including system loss, transmission, and distribution components of their bill, except for
the fixed metering charge of P5, which means they will only be paying more or less P20 in their electric bills.
“If they do not avail of the program through Meralco, they will have to shell out more or less P250, an amount which could otherwise be spent for their other needs such as food,” Lotilla said.
To apply for the lifeline rate program, any household consumer who is a beneficiary of the 4Ps must only submit to their DUs/ECs a duly accomplished application form, the most recent electricity bill, and any valid government-issued identification card containing the signature and address of the consumer.
Other marginalized end-user applicants who are not in the 4Ps beneficiaries but belong to a household of at least five (members and have a combined monthly income of P12,030, must submit to their DUs a certification by their local Social Welfare Development Office issued within six months before the filing of the application showing their family income at the time of application, a duly accomplished form,
most recent electricity bill and any government-issued ID containing the signature and address of the consumer. The monthly income threshold may change and vary for each DU franchise area as may be determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority.