Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Friday urged the implementation of a “disconnection freeze” for Meralco customers who are contesting their electricity bills while disputes are being investigated. In statements reported by multiple outlets, Hontiveros said customers should not be required to pay allegedly disputed charges solely to avoid losing their power supply.
Her appeal is prompted by complaints from consumers who report unusually high electricity bills, which they attribute to alleged incorrect or faulty meter readings. Hontiveros argued that if meter readings are erroneous, the affected consumers are not at fault and should not be made to bear the burden of correcting the issue through immediate payment.
The senator’s proposal focuses on preventing disconnections during the resolution process for contested bills. The outlets’ accounts emphasize that the request applies to customers who file disputes and are awaiting investigation, rather than customers who are delinquent without contesting charges. The statements do not specify the timeline or the regulator’s immediate response.
