MERALCO ramps up campaign on lifeline rate program

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has strengthened its information campaigns in different cities and provinces across its franchise area to help increase the beneficiaries of the lifeline rate program. Through its barangay caravans, the company is also accepting on-site applications to encourage members of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other qualified marginalized households to apply.

MERALCO announces Rate Reduction for the 2nd consecutive month

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For the second month in a row, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced another reduction in power rates. The P0.2908 per kilowatt hour (kWh) decrease in the August rates is equivalent to P58 in total savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh. With the latest adjustment, Meralco’s rates now have a combined reduction of P1.021 per kWh over the past two months. Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga explained that the rate reduction was triggered mainly by the lower generation charge due to lower costs from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, and Power Supply Agreements.

For more information, customers may visit Meralco’s website at www.meralco.com.ph or its social media accounts on Twitter (@meralco) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco).

Lower Power Rates For Meralco Customers This July

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced a P0.7213 per kilowatt hour (kWh) decrease in power rates this July. This reduction is equivalent to P144 in total savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh. Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe R. Zaldarriaga explained that the rate reduction was triggered mainly by the lower generation charge due to lower costs from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, Power Supply Agreements, and Independent Power Producers.

For more information, customers may visit Meralco’s website at www.meralco.com.ph or its social media accounts on Twitter (@meralco) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco).

Bayad awarded as SSS’ 2022 Balikat ng Bayan Best Collecting Partner

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Bayad, the pioneer and the most trusted brand in the outsourced payment collection industry in the Philippines, and now a full-service fintech subsidiary of the biggest power conglomerate in the country – Meralco, was recently conferred as SSS’ Best Collecting Partner under the non-bank category during the 2022 Balikat ng Bayan Awards.

In photo (L-R): SSS Commissioner - Jose C. Julio, Representing Workers' Group, SSS President and CEO - Michael G. Regino, Bayad VP and Head for Biller Solutions – Anely P. Aviles, Bayad VP & Group Head for Regional Operations and Biller Solutions - Meinard D. Cruz, SSS Commissioner Diana Pardo-Aguilar, Representing Employers' Group, and SSS Commissioner Bai Norhata M. Alonto, Representing Workers' Group

The said award giving body has been established since 1995 and has continued to recognize individuals, employers, and organizations that significantly contributed to SSS’ pursuit of its mandate, which underpins the importance of saving and investing among its members and their beneficiaries.

This 2022, SSS puts Bayad to spotlight, acknowledging the company’s consistent compliance of accurate and timely collection reports as well as its active participation in the integral programs of the institution. Apart from these, Bayad breaks records with a 9% growth rate increase in SSS contribution transaction volume from 2021 to 2022, which substantiates how Bayad ceaselessly scales up its physical and digital payment touchpoint to deliver a one stop shop payment solution to its customers. With this, SSS members can now conveniently access other bills payment services covering for various government contributions, loan, electric and water utilities, cable & internet, tuition fees, online shopping, insurance, and many others. This payment experience is also backed up by Bayad’s real-time posting feature, allowing SSS members to process and monitor instant and seamless contribution payments.

Bayad President and CEO, Lawrence Y. Ferrer underscored “All of our efforts in Bayad are directed towards the belief that Filipinos deserve to be rewarded for their hard work. We will stand with SSS in every step of the way as we elevate the financial experience of its members through convenient and secured payment transactions.”

For government, financial, and banking institutions that are interested to be part of Bayad’s extensive biller and payment channel network, you may send an email to partnerships@bayad.com. Bayad enables partners to attain nationwide presence and provides end-to-end support services for efficient payment and collection processing. ###

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About Bayad

Bayad is the pioneer and trusted brand in the outsourced payment collection service in the Philippines, aggregating a multitude of billers into a robust system that is now being used by more than 100,000 physical touchpoints and leading digital and mobile platforms across the country. Formerly known as Bayad Center, it continues trailblaze the industry as it evolves from an over-the-counter payment center into a full-service fintech company, offering a whole suite of financial products & services available to both consumers and businesses.

MERALCO reaffirms support for DOTr infra projects

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) committed anew its support for the government’s transportation infrastructure development efforts crucial to the country’s pandemic recovery and economic growth.

DOTr Sec. Jaime J. Bautista (5th from left) and Meralco President and CEO Atty Ray C. Espinosa (5th from right) led officials DOTr and Meralco officials in a strategic meeting to advance the government’s infrastructure development efforts.

In a meeting with the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa affirmed the power distributor’s assistance through continuing pole relocation and energization activities in support of the agency’s ongoing and planned transportation projects geared towards greatly benefiting the public.

“As the country’s largest power distribution utility, Meralco is cognizant of the importance of stable and reliable electric service in the timely completion and effective operations of DOTr’s infrastructure projects. The government can always count on Meralco’s continued and full support for these initiatives which will help spur the Philippines’ post-pandemic recovery and renewed drive towards economic progress,” Atty. Espinosa said.

Among the new transportation projects requiring substantial power supply are the LRT-1 Cavite Extension Packages 2 and 3, North-South Commuter Railway (NSCR) Extension from Calamba to Batangas; MRT-4; LRT-2 East Cogeo Extension; LRT-2 West Extension; LRT-6 Cavite Line A; MRT-7 Extension Project; EDSA Greenways; EDSA Bus Rapid Transit-Busway Concourse; Pasig River Expressway; Southern Access Link Expressway; and Northern Access Link.

Meralco is also currently undertaking a pole relocation project in support of the ongoing construction of NAIAxEDSA Tramo Connecting Ramp and Skyway Stage 4.

In May 2019, Meralco and DOTr signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) underscoring the parties’ close coordination for the timely completion of Common Station, LRT-1 Cavite Extension, MRT-7, Metro Manila Subway, PNR South Long Haul (from Manila to Sorsogon), and the three phases of North-South Commuter Railway System, namely PNR North 1 (from Tutuban to Malolos, Bulacan), PNR North 2 (from Malolos to Clark, Pampanga), and PNR South Commuter (from Solis to Calamba, Laguna).

Meralco and DOTr are likewise working together to ensure the timely grant of necessary permits and rights-ofway (ROW), clearances, access and authority for properties within their jurisdiction, in order for Meralco to fully implement the related relocation projects and to continuously operate its electrical facilities.

Since 2020, Meralco has relocated more than 2,500 poles and has energized 21 facilities to support the government’s infrastructure projects.

“We are grateful to Meralco for their renewed commitment to support our projects. Long before these projects become operational, Meralco has been and remains a loyal partner in supplying power critical for these projects to prosper,” DOTr Secretary Jaime J. Bautista said.

Meralco unit MPower ramps up support for K-12 education

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MPower, the local retail electricity supplier of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), and its partners have poured in over P8 million for various education programs that benefitted some 3,000 kindergarten students in 19 schools in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

As part of its Back-to-School Donation Drive, MPower and One Meralco Foundation turned over school supplies to the teachers from Lagundi Elementary School in Plaridel, Bulacan.

In line with the resumption of face-to-face classes this year, MPower recently donated worth P875,000 of school supplies to seven beneficiary schools which include printers, hard drives, as well as hygiene products and antigen test kits.

Amid modular and blended learning during the height of the pandemic, 12 schools received P1.2 million worth of school items, including headphones and microphones to help teachers in their transition to online distance learning set-up.

The Back-to-School Donation Drive was an extension of MPower’s flagship Kinder Classroom Project which started in 2015 in support of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) requirement to have kindergarten included in a child’s formal schooling.

Since the inception of the Kindergarten Classroom Project, MPower already turned over nine kindergarten classrooms to beneficiary schools with the help of donations from partners worth around P6 million.

The beneficiary schools are Lagundi Elementary School in Plaridel, Bulacan; Malabon Elementary School in Malabon; San Antonio Elementary School in San Pedro, Laguna; Dela Paz Main Elementary School in Biñan, Laguna; and Halang Elementary School in Naic, Cavite.

One Meralco Foundation, the social development arm of Meralco, has been MPower’s principal partner in the procurement of items, facilitation of constructions of classroom and their turnover.

With OMF’s support, MPower continues to make a lasting impact to the lives of Filipino children by supporting quality education and nation-building.

In 2021, MPower received the 2021 Gold Award from Zuellig Pharma Corporation and the 2020 Outstanding Partner of DepEd City Schools Division of Biñan for its Kindergarten Classroom Project and back-to-school program initiatives.

MPower was also recognized by local governments of Plaridel, Bulacan and Malabon City for its innovative and integrated approach in support of public education.

Bayad and Cebuana Lhuillier Intensifies Partnership By Offering Real-Time Bills Payment Services

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Bayad, the trusted multi-channel payment platform provider in the Philippines and Meralco’s full service fintech subsidiary has intensified its partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier, one of the leading micro financial service provider companies in the Philippines. Through its proactive alliance, Bayad enables Meralco bills payment in over 3,000 Cebuana Lhuillier branches across the country.

Apart from Meralco, Cebuana Lhuillier targets to onboard more biller brands through Bayad’s extensive network of biller partners that will eventually extend across Cebuana Lhuillier’s digital platform, enabling an easier, more efficient, more convenient, and seamless one-stop shop solution for its clients.

Bayad President and CEO, Lawrence Y. Ferrer shared “Bayad’s partnership with Cebuana Lhuillier ultimately amplifies our vision of elevating the quality of living of Filipinos as we usher in more real time bills payment services. We are committed to empower businesses like Cebuana Lhuillier by sharing our vision and strategy in advocating for digital financial inclusion”.

Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier also stressed. “Cebuana Lhuillier has always been committed to offer convenient micro financial solutions to our clients, and partnering with the biggest and widest multi-channel payment platform in the country will surely optimize one of our essential services. As we continue to expand our network and improve our digital payment facilities, we will provide our clients more convenient options for their bills payment needs.”

For fintech institutions that are interested to be part of Bayad’s extensive channel network, you may send an email to partnerships@bayad.com or call at +63 998 963 7880. Bayad enables partners to attain a nationwide presence and provides end-to-end support services for efficient payment and collection processing.

Meralco reopens doors for aspiring female linecrew as it reaffirms commitment to diversity and inclusion

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has relaunched a recruitment and capability-building program for aspiring female linecrew members as part of the Company’s commitment to drive and heighten gender diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The Meralco Linecrew Training Program (MLTP) aims to develop a pool of skilled female line workers, who are envisioned to eventually become part of the Meralco workforce.

A total of 15 individuals will be part of the newest batch of trainees under the MLTP. For a period of five months beginning May, they will undergo a series of lectures and rigorous physical training and endurance conditioning programs that will build and hone their skills to properly use manually operated tools and safely climb Meralco utility poles. They will subsequently be assessed for hiring and deployment.

Meralco, which operates in a traditionally male-dominated industry, pioneered the training and hiring of female linecrew in Southeast Asia back in 2013. The power distributor currently has nine female line workers who help deliver reliable electricity service to Meralco customers.

Charmaine Angeles, who was part of the pioneering batch and currently works as a linecrew member at Meralco’s Valenzuela Sector, said that the program helped broaden her knowledge and experience in her line of work.

“I learned how to drive a truck, got along with my colleagues, and most importantly, helped in delivering electricity service to homes,” she said in Filipino, adding: “I believe that women are also capable of doing what men do. It only takes courage, knowledge, positivity, and trust in oneself to be a successful linecrew member.”

Solidifying commitment to diversity and inclusion

The MLTP is among the initiatives on gender inclusivity geared towards helping Meralco reach its goal to have women employees represent 40% of its workforce by 2030.

Meralco’s recently established policy on Diversity and Inclusion further cements its commitment to advancing workforce diversity and to nurturing an inclusive and safe workplace for its employees by ensuring equal employment opportunities for all.

Through this new policy, Meralco pledges to respect all individual and value differences across gender, age, ethnicity, physical appearance, health, family status, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background.

“The Company believes that when its people feel respected, valued, and treated fairly, they are more motivated to perform – delivering the Meralco core value of malasakit when serving customers and community,” the policy states.

The Diversity and Inclusion Policy extends to all areas of Meralco’s business and is also promoted across the Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates.

In addition, earlier this year, Meralco partnered with Don Bosco College-Canlubang for a technician scholarship program that will benefit 15 aspiring female electrical technicians.

The program will cover the tuition fees and allowances of the students who will undergo the Technical Vocational Education Training Program for the dual NC II Program on Electrical Installation and Maintenance and Mechatronics beginning August.

All the above initiatives fall under Meralco’s overarching Diversity and Inclusion program called #MBrace, which aims to promote and nurture a gender-balanced and inclusive workplace.

#MBrace’s aims are aligned with United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 5 on Gender Equality and UN SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities.

The program also fortifies Meralco’s commitment to the UN Global Compact’s Principle 6 on Elimination of Discrimination in Employment, and supports the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles as well as the advocacies of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment.#

Packaging Company Betafoam Rebuilt Itself From The Ashes with The Help of This Energy Expert

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How does one rebuild from literal ashes? You do it with strength, character, a lot of optimism, and the right partners. For Betafoam Corporation, an insulation and packaging company located in Dasmariñas, Cavite, this holds true.

During the pandemic, Betafoam increased its operations for products that saw higher demand, including packaging for essential goods and logistics companies, bubble wrap, and plastic sheets.

Betafoam Corporation has been manufacturing insulation and specialized packaging since 2003.

In 2014, Betafoam was on its eleventh year in manufacturing polyethylene (PE) foam when its two-building facility in Dasmariñas Technopark, Cavite was decimated by a fire. “Our entire factory got burned. We had to start from zero. The product we make is injected with LPG so it’s flammable at a certain point of manufacturing. Unfortunately, that sparked the fire and it burned the building down,” says President Greg Marañon.

While planning their new facility, Betafoam knew that they were going to need the help of Meralco. Good thing the energy distributor has a dedicated segment handling small and medium enterprises -- the Meralco Biz Partners group. A dedicated Biz Partner Manager was assigned to Betafoam to help them power through.

The Restart

Marañon (right) with Meralco Biz Partner Manager Kim Gabilo.

In 2017, Betafoam rebuilt and moved back to Dasmariñas Technopark, the same site their original facility was in. They expanded from a modest 2,000 square meter factory to an ample 10,000 square meters of manufacturing, warehousing, packaging, and administration space. The facility was intended to be low-risk and high in safety, with each standalone building designed with its own function and energy needs in mind.

The new compound was energized by Meralco right on time to keep up with its production and delivery schedules. But more significantly, this energization allowed them to experience the reliability of being connected to the power grid. The company previously had to rely on the use of generators while operating from their temporary facility, which was located in an area that didn’t have a three-phase power line—which they needed for their machines to operate optimally.

Since the company has already been operating 24/7, Meralco also recommended to have their manufacturing operations subscribed to their Peak / Off-Peak (POP) rates program to further cut costs. They can operate their power-intensive machinery at night when power rates are lower, while the low-power-consuming machines run during the day. Through this scheme, Betafoam has been enjoying significant savings of up to P50,000 a month.

Partners Through the Pandemic

POP continues to be effective for the company with Betafoam seeing their current operations at nearly pre-pandemic levels. “Our subscription to the Peak / Off-Peak program is still beneficial to us as our production is almost normal.”

But regaining this almost-normal production seemed unimaginable in March 2020 when ECQ was implemented. Work halted due to checkpoints that kept their employees from going to work and their trucks off the road. “We had to close our operations for 1.5 months. We had skeletal force operations starting May, as we had customers asking us to serve their orders.”

Marañon, just as he did with the 2014 fire that engulfed his facility, rose to the challenge. He and his firm forged on and adapted to the situation, producing products that their customers needed.

Further building on their partnership with Meralco, Betafoam installed solar panels in their production facilities early in 2021 with the help of Spectrum.

Spectrum is a solar power company built with Meralco's energy expertise and service standards. They provide safe and high-quality solar power that seamlessly integrates with Meralco’s grid. With solar power, Betafoam generated additional monthly savings of almost P60,000.

He added that Meralco became a formidable partner during the pandemic. To ease the payment burden of business customers, Meralco suspended the Guaranteed Minimum Billing Demand (GMBD). This was initially implemented for bills from March 16 to June 30, 2020 but was eventually extended until end of 2020 for businesses that were not allowed to operate based on IATF guidelines. This resulted to significant savings for Betafoam.

Viewing and paying bills were also made convenient and easy despite the quarantine restrictions. “For our safety, we limited our transactions to online channels. Good thing we signed up to Meralco Online which allowed us to view and pay our bills online”,

What Lies Ahead

All things considered, Betafoam Corporation has now become an embodiment of what it means to get back on one’s feet and what it takes to move forward—a reflection of Marañon’s indomitable spirit. Rising from the ashes and surviving one of the most challenging years in 2020, Betafoam has rebuilt itself to a sustainable, well-designed, and efficient company.

Meralco Shifting To Eco-friendly Distribution Transformers

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With their goal for a greener and more sustainable Meralco, the power company will begin to retrofill existing transformers with natural ester oil.

The sweltering heat of recent months took its toll not only on the millions who live and work in Meralco’s sprawling franchise area but on power distribution equipment as well, resulting in some power interruptions during the summer. The sharp surge in consumption of residential customers due to work-from-home arrangements and community quarantine exacerbated the situation.

But that would gradually change and may eventually become a thing of the past as Meralco shifts to an environment-friendlier alternative to the mineral oil used as the insulating liquid for its distribution transformers.

Data studied by Meralco suggests that using natural ester oil as an insulating liquid allows for higher loading capacities of distribution transformers which is crucial during summer months when demand for electricity is higher. The plant-based oil has higher “fire point” of 360 degrees Celsius compared with 180 degrees Celsius for mineral oil, which will make distribution transformers less of a fire hazard. Data also showed ester oil could extend distribution transformers’ useful life.

Since natural ester oil comes from vegetables, it is also readily biodegradable—a quality that meets Meralco’s goal of going greener and pushing for sustainability.

Starting this year, the country’s largest power distributor with over seven million customers will retrofill with plant-based ester oil the fluid used to insulate existing distribution transformers.

Meralco plans to spend billions of pesos through 2030 to fill with ester oil more than 180,000 distribution transformers. The move would make these equipment run more efficiently, operate more safely, and be eco-friendly.

“Using natural ester oil as an insulating liquid in our distribution transformers instead of mineral oil will allow us to extend the life of this crucial equipment as well as do away with using mineral oil that is harder to dispose of,” said Ronnie L. Aperocho, Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks.

After his appointment as Meralco Chief Executive Officer in 2019, Atty. Ray C. Espinosa underscored that stewardship of the environment and sustainability are among the top priorities of the company that distributes electricity to an area that accounts for around half of the Philippines’ gross domestic product.

At this year’s stockholders meeting, Espinosa unveiled Meralco’s plan to source more electricity from renewables, revamp the company’s vehicle fleet to use more electric vehicles, and to use extensively plant-based oil for distribution transformers.

“Going forward, one hundred percent of our new distribution transformers will use plant-based natural ester oil, making these assets 99% recyclable and biodegradable,” he told shareholders.

ePLDT, MPower partner for its largest renewable energy supply in PH data centers

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(Manila, Philippines) ePLDT furthers its commitment to sustainability as it partners with MPower—the local retail electricity supply arm of Meralco—for its largest allocation of both contracted power and renewable energy supply that will sustain the group’s data centers in the country.

ePLDT’s collaboration with MPower was first announced during the launch of the Philippine Board of Investments’ Make It Happen in the Philippines Campaign where public and private institutions teamed up to promote the Philippines as the next hyperscaler destination in Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific region.

The two companies aim to raise the digital and power infrastructure of the Philippines to the standards sought by global hyperscalers looking to expand their operations in the country. Through the partnership, MPower’s renewable energy supply will help decarbonize ePLDT’s VITRO data centers in line with the PLDT group’s sustainability roadmap and in support of the carbon neutrality commitments of hyperscaler companies.

Senior Vice President and Head Roberto Almazora said that sustainability is one of MPower’s top priorities, and in line with Meralco’s sustainability agenda, they target to provide a just, orderly and affordable transition towards renewable energy.

“We're in full support of the government’s aspiration to hit the 50-percent RE energy mix by 2040. We strongly agree, but we would like to ensure that there is an orderly and cost-efficient transition towards clean energy… As One Meralco, we're looking at securing about 1,500 megawatts or more from the RE space in the next five to seven years. We are also in support of the development of greenfield plants, in alignment with the national sustainability agenda to replace old and unsustainable energy sources.” said Almazora during the exclusive CEO Roundtable Discussion of PLDT Enterprise’s Philippine Digital Convention 2021.

ePLDT and MPower recently formalized their partnership in a virtual ceremony to progress ePLDT’s bid to source the power of its data center facilities from RE. Incorporating RE in the energy mix of ePLDT VITRO Data Centers is part of its strategic roadmap which involves putting sustainability at the core of its design and operations.

Jovy I. Hernandez, ePLDT President & CEO and SVP & Head of PLDT and Smart Enterprise and International Business Groups, said that ePLDT is firm in its move towards sustainability and reducing carbon emissions in its data centers through the use of clean energy.

“As the largest data center network service provider in the country, we recognize our crucial role in keeping our operations sustainable and the positive impact that this transformation will bring to the Philippines in general. This initiative is in line with the PLDT Group’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) where sustainability is one of the key fulcrums,” Hernandez said.

“We are glad to formally establish this partnership with MPower as we pave the path to using renewable energy in our VITRO Data Centers. ePLDT recognizes the existing environmental emergency, and we thank MPower for their support as we work for this vision,” Hernandez added.

MPower will provide Renewable Energy for a significant portion of the total consumption for each of ePLDT’s VITRO data center, which is the largest RE supply they will provide to a commercial data center operator and will be sourced from MPower’s greenfield RE plants.

The RE transition is expected to reduce greenhouse and carbon emissions in the data centers by up to 20 percent—which translates to about 924,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years according to the Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator of epa.gov.

The use of RE supply will initially be rolled out in six VITRO Data Centers, while the other four will later on advance as part of ePLDT’s sustainability workplan.

“Aside from providing superior network and infrastructure services, it is also important for us at PLDT Enterprise to operate our facilities efficiently and sustainably. Through the use of RE, we will be able to decarbonize our data centers and at the same time support the sustainability commitments of both local enterprises and the global hyperscaler market,” said Jojo Gendrano, First Vice President and Head of PLDT Enterprise Core Business Solutions.

MPower is the most trusted Retail Electricity Supplier in the Competitive Retail Electricity Market, holding a 30% market share nationwide. It offers customized energy solutions to meet the needs of Contestable Customers with an average demand of at least 500 kW for the past 12 months, resulting in significant cost savings.

Recently, the PLDT Group and Meralco subsidiaries namely MServ and Spectrum announced its collaboration for new energy efficiency and sustainability initiatives that promote responsible energy use and reduction of carbon footprint.

To learn more, visit epldt.com

Iloilo consumers elevate appeal to President Duterte and Supreme Court

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MORE POWER,  electricity service provider, wallops Iloilo with double whammy of brownouts, bill shocks

MORE Electric and Power Corporation has been pummeling Iloilo City consumers with double whammy of persistent brownouts and soaring electricity bills, hence, they are now pleading for urgent action and attention from President Rodrigo Duterte himself.

The Iloilo consumers are also elevating their hue and cry to the Supreme Court, which is the ultimate judicial body that could resolve the ownership of the power utility that could end their dilemmas of never-ending service interruptions and electric bills that have doubled and with errors yet without explanation being offered by MORE Power to the affected customers.

Ruperto Supena, chairman of the Koalisyon Bantay Kuryente (KBK) in Iloilo City, has raised emotionally during the recently held webinar press conference and said, 

“Iloilo is dying and needs the help of President Duterte and the Supreme Court. The lights are out in Iloilo because of MORE Power. Their long and frequent brownouts are killing our businesses and livelihoods, and they are disrupting our essential medical services.” 

Supena stressed  “most especially, we need the President to intervene, so he can keep a watchful eye on those who would exploit us.”

KBK Coordinator Jose Allen Aquino reiterated their plea to Congress on immediate investigation of the brownouts in the area, as they vowed on hastening information gathering and collating all consumer-complaints that will then be submitted as evidence and basis of the probes that shall be done at the legislative branch.

Supena also called on Congress to review the franchise granted to MORE Power, stressing that “there is still time for Congress to change its mind on granting that franchise to MORE given the technical incompetence they have been exhibiting in their provision of service to Iloilo consumers.”

He further appealed to the other national government agencies, including the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for serious and immediate action, as he emphasized that while the plight of the customers of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) are given paramount attention, the uproar of Iloilo City consumers seems continually falling on deaf ears.

“Meralco is being investigated by the government, so why is our situation not being looked into?” he asked; while he reiterated that “we need the Supreme Court to settle this matter, and for the DOE and the ERC to step in and make sure we are no longer abused by lack of service.”

In a recent Council meeting, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas forthrightly told MORE Power President Roel Castro that “the people of Iloilo deserve more, and MORE Power promised “more”; and we are still waiting for MORE to give us the “more.”

Iloilo City Councilor Alan Zaldivar, for his part, has castigated Castro, telling him that: “our clear message to MORE is that, you are not ready to give quality service to Iloilo City.”

Another City Councilor Ely Estante had also given the chief executive of MORE Power a dressing down, stressing that “mas mayo tani nagbakal na lang sila sang ila facilities, other than e-expropriate mo kag kwaon ang facilities ng PECO (Panay Electric Company), dapat kuntani hindi pa sila magastusan sang todo for the repair.” (Mas mabuti sana kung bumili na lang sila ng kanilang facilities kesa e-expropriate pa nila ‘yong mga facilities ng PECO, di pa sana sila gumastos ng todo para sa repair).

Councilor Ed Peñaredondo further urged MORE Power to commit what it can do soonest to improve power supply in the area, since this is already turning out to be a major dilemma in attracting investors in Iloilo City.

“Power supply is very bad. Water, power, infrastructure – roads and bridges, then good governance. But number one is: water and power should perform. Sometimes you meet the supply requirements, sometimes you do not supply. So, if that is the case, we cannot convince our investors to come over,” the city councilor pointed out.

Based on data logs, it was noted that the frequency of brownouts caused by MORE Power already totaled 326 hours since it took over power distribution in Iloilo City in February until end-June this year.

Mikel Afzelius, corporate communications and external affairs officer of PECO, said “there have been a total of 326 hours when Iloilo had been plunged into darkness. We have to let that sink in – 326 hours of suffering of our people. That already doubled the outage duration when compared to PECO within the same timeline last year.”

He noted in particular that “the 13-hour, more or less, power outage that happened on June 20 in Mandurriao, based on the information from MORE itself, is something that could have been fixed in around one hour at most.”

Meralco, PLDT, Smart, Pag-IBIG and other bills? Don't pay cash, PayMaya!

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Paying for your bills now gets more convenient and ultra rewarding when you use PayMaya. Instead of spending time to line up at a payments center, just use your PayMaya app and get up to P300 cashback plus a chance to have PayMaya cover your bills next month!  

Worried about how to pay for your Meralco, PLDT, Smart and other utility bills as well as your payments for government services? PayMaya has your back with its convenient Bills Pay feature. To make it even better, pay for your bills via PayMaya every Friday and Saturday throughout the month of September and get a P100 cashback on your first three transactions. Don’t forget that your bills worth a minimum of P1,000 each should be paid in full and on time.  

And if you pay at least three unique bills within the month worth P5,000 and above until September 30, you also get the chance to win your next month’s worth of bill payments! One hundred (100) lucky raffle winners will take home P10,000 each, which they can use to pay for the next bill or for other purposes.  

The best part of all this? You can enjoy all these deals and rewards, by simply paying for your bill within the comforts of your own home! All you will ever need is your PayMaya app in your smartphone.  

Paying bills is a breeze with PayMaya!  

To start paying for your bills, just follow these simple steps: 

1. Open the PayMaya app and select Pay Bills.  
2. Choose your desired biller.  
3. Enter the account number from your bill.  
4. Enter the amount of your payment.  
5. Confirm your payment.  
6. You will be notified in-app and via SMS that your payment was successful!  

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Meralco rates down for the fourth straight month

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced on its monthly infomercial, Meralco Advisory, a Php 0.42 per kilowatt hour (kWh) reduction in power rates this month. The downward adjustment this month equates to Php 84 in total savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh and represents a total net decrease of almost P1.00 per kWh since May 2019. 

Meralco Public Information Office Head Joe Zaldarriaga (in photo) explained that the overall rate reduction is primarily due to lower charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), brought about by improved supply conditions in the Luzon grid. Also featured on Meralco Advisory was a testament of Meralco’s continued commitment for rural electrification and its renewable energy advocacy with the recent inauguration of Meralco’s latest solar microgrid system in Cagbalete Island, Quezon. This microgrid facility, composed of solar panels, battery storage, and generator set, will provide electricity to 600 households and businesses by the end of the year. Watch this month’s Meralco Advisory here - https://youtu.be/MZ4H5rC_N_Q.

MERALCO Rates Down For Third Consecutive Month

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The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced a Php 0.11 per kilowatthour (kWh) reduction in power rates this month. This downward adjustment amounts to around Php 21 in total savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh per month and represents a total rate decrease of P0.57 per kWh since May 2019. Meralco Public Information Office Head Joe Zaldarriaga (in photo) explained that the over-all rate reduction this month can be attributed to a lower transmission charge, as well as a decrease in other charges. For more information, customers may visit Meralco’s website at www.meralco.com.ph or its social media accounts on Twitter (@meralco) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/meralco).

MERALCO RATES DOWN FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE MONTHS

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Meralco announced that power rates decreased by Php 0.19 per kilowatthour (kWh) this month, equating to Php 39 in total bill savings for a typical household consuming 200 kWh per month. The second straight month of electricity rate decrease represents a total downward adjustment of around P0.47 per kWh since May 2019. Meralco Public Information Office Head Joe Zaldarriaga (in photo) explained that the over-all rate decrease can be attributed to lower charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) despite continued tight supply conditions.

For more information, customers may visit Meralco’s website at www.meralco.com.ph or its social media accounts, Twitter @meralco and Facebook at www.facebook.com/meralco.

“TNT Boys” Serenade Meralco Scholars

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The singing trio of Francis Concepcion, 11, Mackie Empuerto, 12, and Kiefer Sanchez, 13, also known as the “TNT Boys,” wowed a jam-packed theater at the MVP Academic Achievement Awards (MVP AAA) held recently at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.

The ‘TNT Boys’ perform during the awarding ceremonies of the 2018 MVP Academic Achievement Awards (MVP AAA) at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City.

The group, which caught the attention of TV audiences in the U.S. when they performed in the hit talent show “Little Big Shots,” serenaded close to 300 awardees of One Meralco Foundation’s annual recognition program, which rewards the academic achievement of children and siblings of qualified employees of Meralco and its subsidiaries.

On its eighth year, the MVP AAA recognized 210 winners and 76 top achievers.

Each winner received an MVP AAA medal and a P20,000 cash prize. Meanwhile, top achievers — those who won during the previous year and continued to excel academically and have received honors during the current academic year — each received an MVP AAA Top Achievers medal.

The awardees and their parents cheered as the TNT Boys rendered a back-to-back performance of Angeline Quinto’s “Patuloy ang Pangarap” and Sarah Geronimo’s hit single “Forever’s Not Enough.”

Meralco President and CEO Oscar S. Reyes congratulates an MVP AAA winner and her father, a Meralco employee.

Addressing a primarily young audience, the boys congratulated the MVP AAA winners for doing their best to deserve the recognition. They also shared that despite their very tight work schedule, they still set aside time for their studies in between shows. They are currently home-schooled.

“Natutuwa po kami na nandito kami para makisaya sa inyo kasi naniniwala rin po kami na mahalaga talaga ang pag-aaral,” Kiefer said.

“Sa guidance ni God, sa tulong ng parents natin, at sa pamamagitan ng edukasyon, talagang walang imposible. Kaya tayong lahat, patuloy lang sa pangarap,” he added.

The TNT Boys capped the show with an encore performance of “This is Me,” a theme from the musical film, “The Greatest Showman.”