PHManila Electric Co. (Meralco), the primary electricity distributor in Metro Manila, has increased its residential electricity rates for July due to higher generation costs driven by rising fuel prices and taxes. The new rate is P14.8261 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), up from P14.4833 per kWh in June, resulting in an additional P69 per month for a household using 200 kWh. Meralco attributed the increase primarily to higher wholesale electricity spot market prices, which reached P8.0337 per kWh after record electricity demand in May. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros has called for a 'disconnection freeze' to prevent consumers disputing their bills due to alleged meter reading errors from losing power. She criticized the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for requiring consumers to pay disputed charges upfront to avoid service interruption, arguing that this places undue financial strain on households.
Bias read (Center): The article presents both Meralco's explanation for the rate hike and Senator Hontiveros' criticism of the ERC's policies regarding disputed bills. It does not favor one side over the other but provides information from multiple perspectives, including the company and a government official. There is
