MERALCO KEEPS ‘NO DISCONNECTION POLICY’ UP TO END APRIL

Consumers who have unpaid bills from Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc. are spared until the end of April from getting disconnection notices as these companies are suspending the practice during modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

Meralco said it would continue its self-imposed “no disconnection” policy until April 30 while the Regulatory Office of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has ordered Maynilad and Manila Water to hold off service disconnection activities “until MECQ has been lifted.”

Malacañang announced over the weekend that Metro Manila and adjacent provinces such as Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna and Cavite would be placed under MECQ from April 12 to 30.

The concession areas of the water companies entirely within the MECQ areas, which also covers a wide swathe of Meralco’s franchise areas that extend up to parts of Pampanga in the north and parts of Quezon province in the south.

“Given the ongoing pandemic situation and the latest quarantine measures, and always conscious of the challenges our customers are facing amid these trying times, we will continue to put on hold all disconnection activities until April 30, 2021,” Ferdinand O. Geluz, Meralco first vice president and chief commercial officer, said. “We hope this extension will help lessen the burden of our customers and provide enough relief and time for them to settle their bills,” Geluz said in a statement.

He reiterated that Meralco would continue during MECQ to be very considerate with customers who had failed to settle their bills. The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) did not extend its “no disconnection” directive to private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives, which lapsed on Dec. 31. Instead, the ERC appealed to the utilities’ sense of social responsibility and encouraged them “to be mindful and act on the basis of what is reasonable and prudent.”

“Meralco business operations, including meter reading and bill delivery activities, will continue throughout the MECQ,” Geluz said. “Our continued operations will ensure that actual consumption for the month will be billed accordingly.” Meanwhile, the MWSS-RO said in a statement the continued suspension of disconnection activities during MECQ was meant to ensure that all customers receive clean and adequate water supply for their health,