MANILA, Philippines — Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal has called for an inquiry whether the charges passed on by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to its consumers are "fair and equitable,".
Nazal filed House Resolution 976 in response to the complaints by residents being served by Meralco about the seemingly huge increases in their billings in the past months.
The resolution seeks an inquiry in aid of legislation into electricity rates, pass-through charges, and related practices of Meralco.
"Currently, electricity is becoming more expensive and increasingly difficult to understand. In April 2026, the electricity charges rose again. But more alarming than the price increase is what our fellow citizens discover when they closely examine their bills," Nazal said in a privilege speech.
He further added that consumers are now discovering that they are not just paying for what they actually utilized, but for the entire system in which the power sector now operates.
All the charges being collected by Meralco as reflected in the monthly electricity bill of its customers are as a result of Republic Act No. 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 or the EPIRA.
Nazal said that instead of promoting transparency and efficiency, the charges ha e become “so layered and technical that the ordinary Filipino can no longer fully understand what he or she is paying for.”
