SEN. Bong Go called for the swift passage of proposed reforms to the country’s power sector, saying measures aimed at lowering electricity costs should result in tangible savings for ordinary households and not remain mere promises.
“I hope the promise of easing electricity costs will not remain just a promise. What matters is that every Filipino family feels genuine relief in their monthly electricity bills,” Go said in a statement.
He said every peso saved on electricity expenses can help families cope with the rising cost of food and other daily necessities.
“Today, every peso our countrymen save makes a big difference. We must ensure that every reform we pursue has a real impact on their daily lives,” he said.
Go said proposals to reduce electricity charges deserve support and must undergo careful legislative deliberation to ensure that the resulting reforms are consumer-oriented and sustainable.
He also called for greater transparency and accountability in the power sector to ensure that consumers are charged only for costs that are fair, reasonable and necessary.
Go’s statement came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), called on Congress to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Epira) to prohibit electricity system losses, including the corresponding value-added tax, from being passed on to consumers.
The Epira allows distribution utilities to automatically recover pass-through costs from consumers, including system loss charges.
Go said the president’s policy direction reflected the longstanding clamor of many Filipinos for lower electricity rates.
At the same time, he acknowledged concerns raised by stakeholders in the power industry.
