Senior citizens’ 5% discount on power

THIS REFERS to Godofredo Peteza’s letter titled “Discount on elderly’s power consumption” (Opinion, 8/7/15). In that letter, Peteza asked how senior citizens can avail themselves of the 20 percent discount on power consumption.

Please be informed that the Energy Regulatory Commission, on Dec. 15, 2010, promulgated Resolution No. 23, Series of 2010 titled: “A Resolution Adopting the Rules Implementing the Discounts to Qualified Senior Citizen End-users and Subsidy from the Subsidizing End-users on Electricity Consumption Under Sections 4 and 5 of Republic Act No. 9994.” The resolution provides for the requirements for individual and juridical persons to avail themselves of the discount privilege.

Sections 1 and 2, Article 2 of the ERC resolution spell out these requirements:

For households (individual person):

a) The monthly residential consumption must not exceed 100 kWh of electricity.

b) The kWh meter must have been registered in the name of the senior citizen availing of the discount for a period of not less than one year.

c) The grant of the senior citizen discount shall apply to one household, regardless of the number of senior citizens residing therein.

d) The senior citizen should apply for the senior citizen discount personally or through an authorized representative to the distribution utility.

For senior citizens’ centers and residential care facilities/institutions or group homes (juridical person):

a) must be accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development;

b) must have been in operation for at least six months; and

c) must have a separate meter for utilities/services.

Please refer to ERC Resolution No. 23, Series of 2010 for detailed guidance.
This resolution can also be downloaded from the ERC’s website at www.erc.gov.ph through this link: https://www.erc.gov.ph/Files/Render/issuance/582.

Provided that the above requirements have been satisfied, you should be able to enjoy the 5 percent, (not 20 percent) utility discount for senior citizens, as provided for in Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9994 and Rule IV,
Article 12, Sections 1 and 2 of its implementing rules and regulations.

We trust that this answers clearly Peteza’s query, and we thank him for this opportunity to be of service to him and the rest of the power consumers.

—JOSE VICENTE B. SALAZAR, chair and CEO, Energy Regulatory Commission