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Consumers who receive questionable electricity bills don't have to pay the entire disputed amount to avoid disconnection, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) clarified.
Senator Risa Hontiveros filed Senate Resolution No. 509 seeking an investigation into what she called the ERC's 'ironically unfair' consumer protection policies. She cited complaints involving erroneous meter readings and unusually high electricity bills — with Meralco's overall rate increasing by P0.3428 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in July, equivalent to nearly P69 more for a household consuming 200 kWh.
But the ERC said the premise that consumers must always pay the disputed bill in full is inaccurate. The regulator said a widely circulated statement advising customers to continue paying their bills while complaints were being investigated had been taken out of context.
The amount that must be paid while a case is pending depends on the nature of the complaint under the Magna Carta for Residential Electricity Consumers (MCREC). For disputes involving erroneous meter readings, estimated bills, billing adjustments, and other errors caused by a distribution utility's fault or negligence, filing a complaint with the ERC automatically suspends disconnection.
The consumer isn't required to pay the disputed amount to keep the electricity service connected. For an unusually high bill — defined by the ERC as exceeding the customer's average monthly consumption during the previous 12 months by more than 100% — the consumer may pay only the equivalent of the average monthly bill while the distribution utility investigates.
A bond may be required if the case is elevated to the ERC. Payment under protest applies to other types of contested bills. This allows consumers to keep their service while preserving their right to seek a refund or another remedy.
It doesn't mean the consumer has accepted that the charge is correct.
The ERC said it had received 879 complaints involving meter errors, estimated bills, billing adjustments, and similar problems in 2026. It also recorded 243 unusually high billing complaints and 528 other contested billing cases.
ERC Chairperson Francis Saturnino Juan said they regularly investigate meter misreadings and incorrect billings without fail.
Senator Hontiveros has proposed that the Magna Carta be reviewed to make protections clearer and ensure consumers aren't forced to absorb the inconvenience and financial impact of mistakes they didn't cause. The Department of Energy supported the proposed Senate inquiry.