The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has issued a final decision directing Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to fast-track the refund of P14.17 billion to its customers.
The ERC said the order comes after completing Meralco’s “true-up” review of distribution charges from July 2022 to December 2024. Although nearly P20 billion in refunds began in April 2025, about P14.17 billion remains unpaid as of February 2026.
To give quicker relief to consumers, the ERC shortened the refund period to 12 months from the original 36 months. This will raise the average refund rate to P0.2511 per kilowatt-hour, which will appear in electricity bills starting May.
ERC chairman Francis Saturnino Juan said the move aims to ease the impact of rising electricity costs, which may increase further due to global factors such as tensions in the Middle East.
The ERC added it will closely monitor the refund process and require regular updates from Meralco.
Meralco, for its part, said the refund is not new and has been ongoing since last year, adding it will comply with the ERC’s order.
