Still on Electricity, now with Andy Lim, Pikit and Solar Boy

Electricity continues to haunt me. The issue refuses to go away after I wrote about the shocking increase in our small family store's CASURECO II electricity bill in Canaman. Our monthly bill, which used to average only ₱5,000 to ₱6,000, suddenly jumped to more than ₱14,000. Like many ordinary consumers, we were left asking: How are families and small businesses expected to survive?

When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.or BBM highlighted system loss charges and VAT-related concerns in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), it became one of the most applauded moments of his speech. He urged Congress to amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), giving many Filipinos hope that electricity prices might finally come down.

I could not help but smile and joke to myself, "Perhaps BBM has been reading my column."

But the optimism quickly faded. Power producers and business groups questioned the proposal. If consumers no longer pay system loss charges, who will absorb the cost? Will the government subsidize it, or will utilities simply recover the money through other charges? It became clear that lowering electricity prices is far more complicated than removing one or two items from the monthly bill. This raises bigger questions. Why is electricity still so expensive in the Philippines? Can EPIRA, enacted in 2001, still deliver what it promised? Even if amended, will it significantly reduce the cost of living for millions of Filipinos?

While this debate continues, another political drama has captured public attention—the Senate impeachment trial. Veteran lawyer Atty. Lorna Kapunan drew headlines by reading unusual names from a list of supposed persons of interest, including "Andy Lim Pikit" and even "Piattos." At times, it seemed less like a legal proceeding and more like political theater. The names may have provided a moment of comic relief, but for ordinary Filipinos there is nothing amusing about opening an electricity bill that keeps getting higher every month. While politicians exchange accusations and colorful sound bites, consumers continue to struggle with the real cost of keeping the lights on.

Meanwhile, Congressman Leandro Leviste, widely known as "Solar Boy," has long promoted renewable energy as the key to cheaper electricity. Ironically, he now faces separate legal and administrative complaints involving his solar ventures, all of which he denies. Whether these cases prosper or not, they highlight a broader concern: despite the rapid growth of renewable energy, ordinary Filipino consumers have yet to experience the lower electricity bills they were promised.

Renewable energy has expanded, but it operates within the same market created by EPIRA, where electricity prices are influenced by generation costs, transmission, distribution, taxes, and market mechanisms. Cheaper solar power does not automatically mean lower monthly bills.

So I return to where this column began—not in Malacañang or the Senate, but in our family-owned store in Canaman. The electric meter continues to spin, the bills continue to arrive, and ordinary consumers continue to pay without fully understanding the many charges on their monthly statements. We hear about system loss, transmission charges, generation charges, VAT, universal charges, stranded costs, and now proposals to amend EPIRA. But what every Filipino family really wants is simple: a power bill that is fair, affordable, and easy to understand.

Twenty-five years after EPIRA, the Philippines still has one of the highest electricity rates in Southeast Asia. Instead of making electricity more affordable, the law has largely resulted in privatization, market-based pricing, and the concentration of much of the industry in the hands of a few major players. Consumers continue to pay rising electricity bills while many power companies report substantial profits. For many Filipinos, EPIRA has failed. Perhaps the time has come not merely to amend it, but to seriously consider whether a more fundamental overhaul—or even its repeal and replacement—is needed.

We should also rethink how we produce and manage electricity. Renewable energy should not be left solely to large private corporations. Government, electric cooperatives, local governments, and even communities should be encouraged to own and develop renewable energy projects. This can reduce dependence on imported fuel, improve energy security, expand electricity access in remote areas, and create genuine competition that benefits consumers.

Electricity is not an ordinary commodity. It is an essential public service that powers homes, schools, hospitals, farms, and businesses. It should be managed not only for profit but, more importantly, for the public good. BBM. has started an important national conversation. The challenge now is whether government has the political will to confront powerful interests in the power industry and pursue reforms that truly benefit consumers. Whether this leads to meaningful change or becomes just another political promise remains to be seen. Until then, millions of Filipinos will continue hoping for something very simple: electricity that is fair, affordable, transparent, and truly serves the people—not just the power industry.