Manila:Power consumers must first receive a notice from their distribution utilities (DUs) before the latter can collect bill deposits, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said Friday. This announcement follows the ERC's decision to reimpose the bill deposit, a move aimed at protecting consumers under Section 41 of Republic Act (RA) No. 9136, known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA).

According to Philippines News agency, a bill deposit is collected from consumers as a guarantee for any unpaid electricity consumed after the due date. The ERC, in an advisory, stated that the notice sent to affected power consumers must explain the basis for the reimposition, the computation of the amount, and the consumers' options to pay in three equal monthly installments.

The advisory further specified that unless consumers opt to pay it in full or the DU allows a longer period, the reimposed bill deposit shall be payable in three equal monthly installments from the consumer's receipt of the notice. Failure to pay the reimposed bill deposit may result in disconnection, subject to a prior written notice by the DU.

It was noted that for bills issued during previous advisory periods, which covered May to July, August to October, and November to December, no bill deposit shall be reimposed on consumers eligible for the No Disconnection Policy due to non-payment of bills during those times.

In response to the ERC's decision, Manila Electric Company (Meralco) stated its intention to comply with the bill deposit decision. They clarified that the policy applies only to customers who previously received refunds of their bill deposits after two consecutive years of paying on time but subsequently missed their bill payments.

Meralco has opted to defer the implementation until next year and offer affected customers an automatic six-month installment arrangement, which is longer than the three months prescribed under the guidelines. The company also confirmed that it would continue the automatic refund for customers with good credit standing, with the bill deposit appearing as a separate line item on bills for clarity.

Meralco emphasized its commitment to keeping customers informed by proactively communicating relevant information, issuing advisories and reminders, and addressing questions and concerns regarding the policy and its implementation.