Households across Metro Manila and nearby provinces will face slightly higher electricity bills this month as the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) raised its rates by P0.1520 per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
This pushes the overall rate to P13.4702 per kWh in November from P13.3182 last month—-an increase of about P30 for a typical 200-kWh household. This will be reflected in the bill that customers will receive in December.
Meralco attributed the hike mainly to higher transmission charges and an increase in the government-mandated Feed-in Tariff Allowance (FIT-All).
Transmission costs rose by P0.1468 per kWh due to pricier ancillary services from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ Reserve Market, while the FIT-All climbed by P0.0884 per kWh following the Energy Regulatory Commission’s order to implement a new rate of P0.2073 per kWh.
Easing the impact was a drop in the generation charge by P0.1008 per kWh to P7.9000, thanks to lower costs from Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) and the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). PSA rates fell as global fuel prices stabilized, although the weaker peso offset some of the gains.
Industry watchers note that while the increase is modest, it reflects persistent cost pressures in the power sector — from fuel price volatility to currency movements — that continue to challenge both utilities and consumers.
Meralco stressed that its distribution charge has remained unchanged since August 2022. However, analysts warn that further adjustments could loom if the peso continues to weaken or if supply conditions tighten heading into the holiday season.
