Consumer and homeowners’ groups blamed the Marcos administration’s energy policies for rising electricity bills and worsening financial pressure on Filipino families ahead of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address.
The groups said households were being forced to absorb volatile generation charges and higher fuel costs as prices of food, transportation, and other basic goods continued to climb.
At a “State of Electricity Consumers” gathering at Claret School in Quezon City, they criticized an energy system that allows fluctuations in fossil fuel prices to be passed on to consumers.
“For ordinary families, electricity is no longer just another monthly expense,” said Gerry Arances, convenor of the Power for People Coalition.
He said every Meralco billing cycle had become “another source of anxiety” for families facing “double or near-triple electricity rates.”
“Electricity is no longer just another household expense—it has become one of the biggest drivers of financial hardship,” Arances said.
The groups said electricity prices had increased by more than P4 per kilowatt-hour over the past four years, adding to the strain on households with stagnant incomes.
Arances said the electricity crisis was closely tied to the broader cost-of-living situation, noting that “every household depends on electricity for lighting, refrigeration, communications, and basic daily activities.”
“When electricity becomes more expensive, the cost of living rises across the board, affecting every Filipino family,” he added.
The groups also criticized continued dependence on imported coal and fossil gas, saying it exposed consumers to global fuel price shocks while benefiting large energy companies.
Aaron Pedrosa, secretary-general of Sanlakas, said millions of families had seen their electricity bills “doubled and tripled in charges” while the country recorded the highest electricity rates in Southeast Asia in the past month.
“This is the true essence of the coming SONA of President Marcos Jr – the realization of four years’ worth of pro-privatization and anti-consumer policies,” Pedrosa said.
The groups urged the Marcos administration, the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission to strengthen oversight of power utilities, ensure affordable electricity, and adopt long-term policies to protect households from recurring price increases.
