ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | October 10, 2023
Dear Chief Acosta,
Ang pamilya namin ay isa sa mga benepisyaryo ng 4Ps. Hirap kaming matugunan ang aming mga buwanang obligasyon tulad ng bill sa kuryente. Nabanggit sa akin ng aming kapitbahay na mayroon diumanong ibinibigay na subsidy/diskwento sa singil sa kuryente. Totoo ba ito? - Verlyn
Dear Verlyn,
Para sa iyong kaalaman, ang batas na nakasasaklaw sa iyong katanungan ay ang Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9136, na inamyendahan ng R.A. No. 11552, na siyang nagbibigay ng ekstensyon sa tinatawag na lifeline rate. Ang lifeline rate ay isang subsidiya sa singil sa kuryente na ibinibigay para sa mga nasa laylayan ng ating lipunan. Ayon dito:
“Sec. 73. Lifeline Rate. – In order to provide assistance to electricity consumers, especially those living below the poverty line, and to achieve a more equitable distribution of the lifeline subsidy a socialized pricing mechanism called a lifeline rate for qualified marginalized end-users shall be set by the ERC which shall be exempted from the cross subsidy phase-out under this Act for a period of fifty (50) years, unless otherwise extended by law. The level of consumption, subsidy, and rate shall be determined by the ERC after due notice and hearing: Provided, That the ERC shall primarily utilize data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the determination of the level of consumption.
Qualified marginalized end-users shall refer to any of the following:
(a) Qualified household-beneficiaries under Republic Act No. 11310, otherwise known as the ‘Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Act,’ as regularly submitted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to the DOE, the ERC, and the distribution utility, whose level of consumption shall be within the threshold determined by the ERC, are qualified marginalized end-users under this Act;
(b) Marginalized end-users who have been certified and continually validated as such by their distribution utility based on a criteria determined by the ERC: Provided, That the criteria shall take into account, among others, the poverty threshold set by the PSA, and shall contain an exclusive list of requirements to be submitted to the distribution utility: Provided, further, That the exclusive list of requirements shall be simplified and reasonable for the applicant: Provided, furthermore, That the distribution utility shall act on the application for certification as a marginalized end-user within two (2) working days from submission of complete documentary requirements: x x x.
All qualified marginalized end-users shall continually meet the criteria in this Act to avail of the lifeline rate.”
Ayon sa nabanggit na batas, ang lifeline/subsidized rate ay ibinibigay sa mga qualified marginalized end-users – tulad ng (a) benepisyaryo ng 4Ps batay sa talaan ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), at (b) ang mga konsyumer na nabubuhay below the poverty threshold, na sertipikado ng DSWD – bilang bahagi ng mekanismo ng socialized pricing, na nagbibigay ng porsyentong diskwento alinsunod sa mga alituntuning itinakda ng Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). Ang lifeline rate ay isang non-cash monetary discount na ibabawas ng distribution utility (tulad ng Manila Electric Company o MERALCO), depende sa aktuwal na konsumo, sa buwanang singil sa kuryente ng mga qualified marginalized end-users.
Kaugnay nito, alinsunod sa Joint Resolution No. 01, Series of 2022 na may petsang 28 Oktubre 2022 na inilabas ng Department of Energy (DOE), DSWD at ERC, para makapag-apply/avail para sa nasabing lifeline rate, ang kuwalipikadong konsyumer ay kailangan lang magrehistro sa provider ng kuryente/distribution utility, at magsumite ng mga sumusunod na dokumento:
i. duly-accomplished application form;
ii. pinakahuling bill ng kuryente;
iii. valid government-issued ID na may pirma at tirahan ng konsyumer;
iv. certification mula sa local social welfare and development office, na nagpapakita na ang kita ay below the poverty threshold.
Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.
Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.
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