Senator Risa Hontiveros has urged the adoption of a "no disconnection policy" for electricity consumers who are contesting their Meralco bills over alleged overbilling. She emphasized that households should not be forced to pay disputed charges just to avoid losing power while their complaints remain unresolved.
Mounting complaints over high bills
The senator made the appeal amid a surge of complaints from consumers who reported receiving unusually high electricity bills, allegedly due to erroneous meter readings. The issue has prompted the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to investigate billing concerns and require Meralco to address consumer complaints.
"Consumers who were erroneously charged should not be forced to pay disputed charges just to keep their lights on. It is not their fault that the meter reading was wrong. Consumers should not be the ones to adjust," Hontiveros said in a statement.
Protecting consumers during disputes
Hontiveros stressed that consumers with legitimate billing disputes should not be compelled to settle contested amounts before their complaints are resolved. She urged the ERC to exercise its mandate of protecting electricity consumers by ensuring a swift and impartial resolution of billing complaints.
"ERC should do something about this. Their mandate is to protect the welfare of consumers. They should ensure a fast, fair, and effective process for resolving billing disputes, and consumers should not be placed in a difficult position," the senator added.
Specific cases highlight the issue
Hontiveros noted that complaints over allegedly inflated electricity bills have continued to increase. She cited one case where a household was reportedly billed for electricity consumption despite having its circuit breakers switched off while the family was away on vacation.
For its part, Meralco maintained that customers with pending billing disputes are protected while their complaints are being evaluated. Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said customers with pending billing concerns are not required to pay the disputed amount while their cases are under review and that their electric service will not be disconnected during the investigation.
Meralco suspends disconnections
Zaldarriaga added that the company also suspended disconnection activities for customers with unpaid electricity bills covering the May to July 2026 billing periods in compliance with an ERC directive. The temporary suspension forms part of the regulator's broader relief measures, which also include flexible payment arrangements for qualified consumers amid elevated electricity costs.
"We would like to reiterate that we continuously address the concerns of all customers regarding their electricity bills, consumption, or meter reading through our official customer touch points," Zaldarriaga said. "Rest assured that we have been diligently reviewing and resolving every customer concern brought to our attention," he added.
ERC orders broader relief measures
The ERC earlier ordered all power distribution utilities, including Meralco, to suspend electricity disconnections for unpaid May to July 2026 bills and directed utilities to provide installment payment options for qualified consumers as part of measures to cushion the impact of rising electricity costs. The regulator has also encouraged consumers who believe their bills are erroneous to file complaints through the proper channels for prompt investigation and resolution.
