Meralco prepaid scheme violated magna carta for electricity consumers, says TUCP

After the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) prepaid electricity scheme has been in place since last week, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) on Monday claimed the power distributor violated the magna carta for residential electricity consumers and will seek to clarify its legality.

 

"We might ask SC and/or ERC for an injunction questioning the legality of its implementation," Alan  Tanjusay, TUPC spokesman, said in a text message to GMA News Online.

 

In a separate e-mailed statement Monday, Associated Labor Unions-TUCP executive vice president Gerard Seno said Meralco violated the provisions of the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers after launching the Prepaid Retail Electricity Service (PRES) last week.

 

“We believe the Meralco should be punished for abusing and skirting the law. Access to electricity, just like water, is a basic human right. These are our political rights as a Filipino that cannot be waived by saying this is voluntary on the part of consumers,” he said.

 

The magna carta protects residential electricity consumers by disallowing electricity supply disconnection beyond 3 p.m. at any day during the week, any time during weekends, official holidays, specially when a permanent occupant in the house is sick and dependent on a life-support system, when the owner is not in the house and when there is a funeral wake in the house.

 

With the prepaid scheme, the electricity automatically shuts off when a customer's load runs out, TUCP executive director Louie Corral said.

 

However, Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said they are not violating anything.

 

"It's purely voluntary. It's merely an option given to customers," Zaldarriaga told GMA News Online by phone.

 

Last week, Meralco introduced the prepaid electricity scheme to pilot areas in Angono and Taytay, Rizal. Over 100 customers are subscribed to prepaid energy while over 1,000 applications are being processed this month.

 

But TUCP's Corral pointed out the prepaid scheme was implemented without public consultation and did away with workers for the system no longer require bill collectors, meter readers, linesmen, and branch office staff.

 

“There are also no guarantees that the customers of the kuryente prepaid load scheme system are protected from the same ‘dagdag-bawas’ problems many experience with prepaid mobile phone service providers. The real issue here is that the price of electricity is high and Meralco is shifting the issue,” he said.

 

Meralco has secured an approval from regulator ERC to implement the prepaid scheme, Zaldarriaga said.

 

"With the prepaid scheme, customers will have the option and will have more control over their electricity demand," he said.

 

"On the matter of loading problems, papadalhan ng Meralco ang customers ng updates everyday so they will have ample time to reload. Load credits are available in our business centers, Bayad Centers in the pilot areas," Zaldarriaga added. – VS, GMA News