SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur (MindaNews / 26 Aug)—At least 75,000 households in this province living below the poverty threshold will become beneficiaries of the “Lifeline Subsidy Rate Program” that gives them considerable discounts on their monthly electricity bills starting September 1.
Junel Ryan Denolo, manager of ASELCO’s Institutional Services Department, said the rollout of the program will start Sept. 1 even though only 1,286 households have so far applied for the subsidy program.
Based on the guidelines of the program that was made into law by Republic Act No. 11552, among the families who will enjoy the subsidy program are the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and member-consumers of the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative Inc. (ASELCO) considered to be living below the poverty threshold set by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
But Denolo said only those whose monthly bills 25 kilowatt hours (kw/h) or lower will benefit from the subsidy program. The discounts are bracketed depending on the monthly consumption.
Those consuming from 21 to 25kw/h will get a 10-percent discount, 25 percent for those consuming from 16 to 20 kw/h, and 50 percent for those using only 15kw/h and below.
Denolo said most of the targeted beneficiaries are those living in the remote last mile areas, the reason many still have not applied for the subsidy. With this challenge, ASELCO will ask village officials to help their fieldmen assist in their house-to-house registration campaign, he added.
Consumers applying for the program are required to fill up the application form available at all ASELCO offices in the entire province or at the barangay halls. They are also asked to submit their recent electric bills, any valid government or 4Ps ID, or 4Ps certification and certification from the local social welfare officer. (Chris V. Panganiban / MindaNews)
