DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are encouraged to apply and avail of the lifeline electricity rate subsidy under the new guidelines of the Lifeline Act 2022 before September this year.
The Lifeline rates provide discounts for 4Ps beneficiaries and marginalized customers whose monthly electricity consumption is 100 kWh or below. In Davao City, electricity company Davao Light and Power Company, Inc. (Davao Light) said it can give a 10% to 100% discount.
“That’s why we are really encouraging, kung may kilala kayo (if you know somebody) who can avail the Lifeline subsidy please inform them so that they can apply to avail of the discount,” said Engr. Reynold Felix, Davao Light’s admin head, in a press conference Monday, Aug. 14.
In the Davao Region, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) hopes to reach out to the total 250,000 4Ps beneficiaries to enjoy the special rates. Under Davao Light’s franchise area, Davao City has 40,065 4Ps beneficiary customers while Davao del Norte has 56,390 or close to 10% of its total residential customers.
But the power company said they only received 239 applications since May this year from their entire franchise area. “For walk-in so far, we have 60 applicants since May 2023 and that includes 56 from 4Ps and four from non-4Ps which is marginalized,” Felix said.
Last week, Davao Light put up its first onsite registration in Gem Village, Brgy. Maa where they were able to collect around 179 applications for Lifeline subsidy instead of the expected 600 because of some issues. Felix said several beneficiaries were not able to provide proof of billing statements with their names because they are just renters or tenants while some are on flying connections.
To apply for Lifeline, eligible individuals must complete their application form, which is also accessible online, as well as provide their billing statement and identification cards.
Felix said 4Ps beneficiaries who are renters with individual meters can provide a lease contract and certification from their lease owners. They are also required to get a certification from their barangay as a supporting document.
Both Davao Light and DSWD acknowledged the difficulties in reaching the goal of contacting their target 4Ps beneficiaries.
Margie Cabido, DSWD’s 4Ps division chief, said they are planning to put out drop boxes in various key areas in the city for easy application access. Davao Light, on the other hand, plans to work with local government units in their franchise area to meet the target before September.
Davao Light president and chief operating officer Rodger Velasco said they will still accept applications for subsidies after September but added that with the new guideline, the subsidy will only be given to those customers that are identified as indigent or belong to the “poorest of the poor”.
Under the new guidelines of Republic Act 11552, the qualified customers are the beneficiaries and those non-4Ps beneficiaries or marginalized end-users living below the poverty threshold established by the Philippine Statistics Authority with certification issued by the local Social Welfare Development Office. Meanwhile, those who are not qualified are those living in condominium units and subdivisions (unless under government housing programs), who are under the Net Metering Program, who are violators of the Anti-Pilferage Act, who are not in DSWD’s 4Ps list and do not have a certification from the local SWDO. (davaotoday.com)
davao city, lifeline act, pantawid pamilyang pilipino program
