Manila, Philippines — Senator Risa Hontiveros has called for an investigation into the consumer protection policies of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) following complaints from electricity consumers who allegedly received excessively high power bills due to inaccurate meter readings.
Hontiveros said that while the ERC is mandated to protect electricity consumers, some of its existing policies may instead be placing an undue burden on consumers rather than providing them with adequate protection.
The senator stressed the need to review and update these policies to ensure they are fair and genuinely uphold the welfare of electricity consumers.
She added that consumers should not be forced to go through a burdensome process to correct erroneous electricity bills, especially as households continue to face successive increases in power rates.
Hontiveros maintained that any regulations that place consumers at a disadvantage should be reassessed and amended to provide stronger consumer protection and ensure fair treatment for all electricity service users.