Viewpoint: Meralco’s Initial Responses to MSK’s Complaints of Overcharging and Anomalous High Rate of Quezon Power
Editors note:
Your organization Matuwid na Singil sa Kuryente Consumer Alliance Inc. had been vigilantly analyzing the Meralco charges in the last years. While consumers groups have been complaining about the RORB padding and guaranteed payments to the First Gas projects during the Lopez era, the take over of the MVP group in 2010 appear to have sent Meralco into more bolder and pervasive profit optimization schemes that we suspect have been crossing the boundaries towards illegality and sheer brazenness. Things that are just not consistent with Meralco being a public service utility.
The profit making schemes appear so complete and chronic that an ERC Commissioner was so confused that he said in open hearing that Meralco is no longer a regulated entity, a direct affront to the Epira Laws declaration that distribution utilities will remain to be regulated sectors.
MSK analysts have unearthed major excessive schemes amounting to multi-billions over the years and have accordingly filed complaints with the ERC.
We are thankful to ERC Chair Agnes Devanadera, Commissioner Alexis Lumbatan, and Atty. Rowena Nidea of the ERC Consumer Affairs Service for taking due cognizance of the consumer’s flight in the face of these multi-billion in regretful overcharges, have asked Meralco to explain, and scheduled a hearing on 30th of March 2021.
We are excerpting here the initial explanations of Meralco to MSK’s complaints, contained in the letters to ERC of Atty. Jose Ronald V. Valles, First Vice President of Meralco for Regulatory Management Office dated March 18, 2021 and December 22, 2020.
(Copy)
(March 18, 2021 letter)
(December 22, 2020) items 1, 2, 3, 4
Reg.MSK.Letter.Response.18.March.2021_signed (1)
