Meralco staggers lockdown consumption into 4 installments

MANILA - Power consumed during the lockdown period will be divided into 4 monthly installments to ease the burden for consumers, Meralco said Friday.

During the lockdown, consumers are billed based on their average consumption for 3 months since physical meter reading is suspended. 

Bills will be adjusted once meter reading resumes after the lockdown is lifted, Meralco spokesman Joe Joe Zaldarriaga told DZMM.

"Yung cumulative amount ng mga bill na dapat ay nag due within the ECQ period i-aamortize 'yan into 4 equal monthly installment payable in 4 billing months matapos mag end and ECQ natin," Zaldarriaga said. 

(The cumulative amount due within the enhance quarantine period will be amortized into 4 equal monthly installment payable in 4 biling months after the end of the ECQ)

"Na consume na naman ng consumer ‘yon. Magcocorrecting naman yan eh once nabasa na ang metro," he added.

(That has been consumed. It will be corrected once the meter has been read)

The Luzon island, home to roughly half of the country's 100 million population is under lockdown until April 30 to beat the coronavirus pandemic.

• Meralco suspends physical meter reading during lockdown