Meralco energizes Quezon City community
In line with the government’s goal to achieve 100-percent electrification in the country, the Manila Electric Company has energized a community in Barangay Sangandaan in Quezon City through One Meralco Foundation’s Household Electrification Program.
As Meralco’s social development arm, OMF provided the much-needed financial support and technical assistance to 83 households in Loans Street, who have long been paying thrice the rate of Meralco for electric power sourced from sub-meters and service extensions from neighbors.
Through the program, OMF covered the cost of the installation of individual service entrance for the meter and helped facilitate, together with the local government and the Meralco Balintawak Business Center, the processing of pertinent permits such as the certificate of final electrical inspection. The company has likewise upgraded the distribution facilities in the area to accommodate the additional electric services.
Prior to having her own Meralco service, resident Cristina Nocos recalled the financial ordeal her family had to face just to have access to electric service.
“My family is beyond grateful now that our monthly bill was reduced by half after we had our own Meralco meter. This also saves me time in doing my daily household chores which I normally do manually, such as washing the laundry,” she said in Filipino.
In addition to being unburdened from the costly, unsafe and unreliable electric service, residents of Loans Street are now qualified marginal end-users who are eligible to register under the government’s Lifeline Rate Program, which entitles them to a discount on their electricity bill ranging from 20 percent to as much as 100 percent, provided that their monthly consumption does not exceed 100 kilowatt-hours.
Quezon City District 6 Rep. Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar lauded OMF’s efforts in improving the welfare of her marginalized constituents through its Community Electrification Program.
“For years, the One Meralco Foundation has been fervently engaged in serving communities and individuals facing socio-economic challenges in the realm of energy accessibility. The Lifeline Rate Program will make electricity more accessible for our marginalized communities, weaving families together with energy that not only sustains but also empowers our communities,” Co-Pilar said.