A consumer advocacy group filed a petition before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), seeking to waive Green Energy Auction Allowance (GEA-ALL) and Feed-In Tariff Allowance (FIT-ALL) charges amid the national state of energy emergency, according to a Tuesday report.

Kuryente.org National Coordinator Bas Umali said this aims to alleviate the financial burden placed on Filipino energy consumers who have to pay off steep electricity bills, reported RH 52 Edniel Parrosa.

GEA-ALL and FIT-ALL are among the mandatory charges funding renewable energy sources.

Although Umali and his organization support the renewable energy sector, he said providing greater assistance to energy consumers amid the ongoing crisis would be a more timely move on the government’s part.

“Sinusuportahan po natin ‘yung mga inisyatiba natin para doon sa renewable energy. Pero sa context po na napakataas na po ‘yung presyo ng kuryente natin ngayon, bakit sa amin pong mga consumers ninyo china-charge?” he told reporters.

Umali explained that the public should not take issue with the lifeline rate or the minimal assistance granted to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries.

Instead, he said consumers would see bigger savings if the government abolished mandatory charges that go to big corporations.

“Ito po ay suporta para doon sa malalaking corporations, e. Tapos pinanggigigilan po natin ‘yung napakamaliit na sentimo na binibigay natin sa 4Ps, bakit po hindi natin pansamantalang itigil itong binibigay sa malalaking kumpanya?” Umali explained.

Earlier, Meralco’s pass-through charges drew a flood of complaints on social media as many of the company’s customers experienced “bill shock” or sudden spikes in their electricity bills.

Meralco explained that the added cost was mandated to cover 4Ps beneficiaries’ and senior citizens’ energy costs, in an effort to support the marginalized sector.