The government is looking for ways to get more consumers to sign up for its Lifeline Rate Program, which subsidizes power rates for poor households.
So far, only about 4 percent—or 191,399 people–of the targeted 4.2 million poor Filipinos have registered to gain benefits from the program.
The director of the Electric Power Industry Management Bureau of the Department of Energy (DOE), Luningning Baltazar, said one reason there are so few registrants is the lack of individual meters.
Another reason may be the low threshold or consumption level needed to qualify for the program, she said.
“Based on our coordination with ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission), DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development)… the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries) don’t have individual meters,” Baltazar said.
“For others, they feel that the threshold level is very small. For example, there are areas in the Visayas where the threshold is 25 kilowatt-hours. Normally, they exceed that consumption so they decided not to register,” she said.
Based on the list of the DSWD, there are 4.2 million 4Ps members, but only 191,399 have registered as of Dec. 15.
“We still encourage them to register and we are studying the threshold aspect,” Baltazar said.
“We are looking for those who can help us study how to effectively implement the program because the threshold has to be approved by the ERC, and [we have to] determine [the] possible impact of subsidizing customers so it should be a holistic approach,” Baltazar said.
Baltazar said other 4Ps are geographically dispersed and they may not be aware of the program.
She said power distribution utilities should continue to conduct on-the-spot registration during the lifeline caravan to encourage more participants.
DOE, ERC, and DSWD earlier announced that the full implementation of the Lifeline Rate Program would proceed on Jan. 1.
“Only 4Ps and non-4Ps electricity consumers who consume no more than 100kWh a month and have registered with their respective distribution utilities shall be entitled to avail of the subsidy provided under the Lifeline Rate Program,” the three agencies said in a joint advisory.
Under Republic Act No. 11552, lifeline or subsidized rates are given to low-income customers using electricity below 100 kWh per month and who cannot afford to pay their bills at full cost.