18/02/2026
๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต ๐ก๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ง ๐ฑ๐ฌ ๐ธ๐ช๐ต | ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ป. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ๐๐ฎ: ๐๐ป๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐ต๐ผ๐๐๐ฒ๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ๐ โ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐บ๐๐บ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐โ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฒ๐
Senator Rodante D. Marcoleta is pushing for the approval of a bill increasing the electricity lifeline rate to 200 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month, saying the current 50 kWh threshold falls short in reflecting the real consumption needs of poor Filipino families.
At the Senate Committee on Energy hearing held last Monday (February 9, 2026), Sen. Marcoleta said Senate Bill No. 63, which he authored, seeks to provide what he described as a โminimum comfort of livingโ for low-income households consuming electricity.
The recently revised uniform national lifeline rate covers consumption of 0 to 50 kWh per month under a joint resolution issued last week by the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
During the hearing, ERC representative Engr. Alvin Jones Ortega said the 50 kWh allocation typically covers the use of three light bulbs, an electric fan, television, radio, and cellphone charger for a period of one month.
Reacting to the ERC, Sen. Marcoleta described the level of consumption under the revised lifeline rate as unrealistic, as it barely covers basic needs and minimal appliance use.
By raising the threshold to 200 kWh, he said that actual household electricity usage would be better reflected under current living conditions.
โLayunin ng 200 kWh ang minimum na comfort na kailangan ng isang mahirap na pamilya,โ the senator pointed out.
Marcoleta said the proposed expanded lifeline rate under SBN 63 could benefit an estimated 5.5 million poor families, or roughly 25 to 27 million Filipinos.
He added that this approach would work better in aiding the poor, compared to the multi-billion peso doleout programs of the government, which have been questioned due to lack of transparency, and for being riddled with corruption and political patronage.
The higher lifeline subsidy, he said, could translate to monthly savings of around โฑ2,000 to โฑ2,500 per household โ funds that families could redirect to other essential expenses such as food, education, and healthcare.
โAng magbe-benefit po noon ay targeted sectors of our economy. Hindi po kagaya ng nangyayari โ AICS, Tupad, AKAP, kung anu-ano pa. Sabi po ng [surveys] Madam Chair, after 3 years na nagse-census ang SWS and Pulse Asia, 52% of our people still consider themselves poor, while 25% to 27%, after all the intervention of these subsidies, still experience voluntary hunger,โ he explained.
โ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ด ๐ป๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ถ๐ฑ ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป ๐ถ๐๐ผ, ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐บ๐ด๐ฎ ๐ธ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐ป๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ฎ ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฎ." Sen. Marcoleta said.
