Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata, chairperson of the Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights and the Committee on Labor and Employment Opportunities, called on Monday for stronger consumer protection measures and a review of the country’s energy policies as she questioned the continued increase in electricity rates.
She said the rising cost of electricity is placing an even heavier burden on households already struggling with inflation.
During her privilege speech, Morata said the issue extends beyond the computation of electricity bills.
“We appreciate their presentation. However, the issue before us goes beyond the technical computation of electricity bills. It concerns the affordability of electricity, the transparency of electricity pricing, and the adequacy of consumer protection,” Morata said.
She was referring to the recent appearance of the Davao Light and Power Company before the City Council.
Morata noted that consumers are already grappling with rising fuel prices, transportation costs, and increasing prices of basic commodities, making higher electricity rates even more difficult to bear, particularly for minimum wage earners and small businesses.
She pointed out that Davao Light’s residential electricity rate increased from P9.71 per kilowatt-hour in December 2025 to P13.09 per kilowatt-hour in July 2026, representing an increase of P3.38 per kilowatt-hour, or nearly 35 percent, in seven months.
To illustrate the impact on consumers, she cited cases shared by constituents, including one household whose electricity bill allegedly surged from P3,294.42 to P16,982.40 despite having only basic household appliances.
Another family, she added, saw its monthly bill increase from around P1,200 to P2,600 and was reportedly issued a disconnection notice despite the Energy Regulatory Commission’s moratorium on disconnections.
“These examples illustrate a common concern among consumers: They receive substantially higher bills—double or even quadruple their previous bills—but are unable to clearly understand why,” she said.
Morata also questioned the apparent contradiction between Davao Light’s explanation that higher generation costs were caused by reduced power supply and a report from the Department of Energy’s Mindanao Field Office stating that Mindanao continued to have a stable electricity supply and sufficient operating reserves.
“Kon lig-on man diay ang suplay sa kuryente, nganong misaka man pag-ayo ang presyo sa kuryente? Ang mga konsumante adunay katungod nga makadawat og tin-aw, masabtan, ug transparent nga tubag nga gisuportahan sa klarong impormasyon,” she said.
Morata further argued that the issue is rooted in the country’s power sector structure under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), saying consumers continue to bear the effects of higher generation costs, imported fuel prices, exchange rate movements, and volatility in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM).
She urged Congress to review and, if necessary, replace EPIRA with legislation that would strengthen consumer protection, promote affordable electricity, improve pricing transparency, and enhance energy security.
Locally, Morata called for a public hearing involving Davao Light, the ERC, DOE, NGCP, and other stakeholders to explain the recent power rate increases and electricity charges. She also urged the council to seek a rollback of residential power rates while the review is ongoing.
“Electricity is an essential public service. Consumers are entitled to affordable rates, transparent billing, and clear information regarding how their bills are computed and what protections are available to them,” Morata said.
Morata said that despite the limitations of the City Council’s regulatory powers, it has a responsibility to ensure that the voices of Dabawenyos are heard, consumer rights are protected, and public utilities remain transparent and accountable.
She reiterated her call for affordable electricity, transparent billing, and stronger consumer protection.
“Isip namuno sa Committee on Labor and Employment Opportunities ug Committee on Human Rights, ang akong panawagan: mas abot-kaya nga presyo sa kuryente, klarong pagpasabot sa mga bayronon, ug mas lig-on nga pagpanalipod sa katungod sa mga konsumante,” Morata said.
