National Electrification Administration (NEA) Administrator Antonio Almeda confirmed that some local officials, including mayors and congressmen, are not paying their electricity bills, leaving electric cooperatives to shoulder the cost of their electricity consumption, which is in turn passed on to consumers through system loss charges.
During an interview on DZRH’s Dos Por Dos, Almeda was asked whether the practice was not limited to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with similar cases also reported among electric cooperatives in Central Luzon or Region 3. He confirmed that this was the case.
“I have to admit meron talagang ganun. Madalas ako na ang nakikipag-usap doon sa mga politikong ganyan,” Almeda said.
He said he has personally talked to politicians who fail to pay their electricity bills, explaining to them that their unpaid consumption places an additional "burden" on electric cooperatives.
“May mga electric cooperatives naman na hinihikayat yung mga politiko na magbayad,” he added.
According to Almeda, the NEA has already collected payments from several politicians who had outstanding electricity bills.
“Marami na kaming nasingil na hindi nagbabayad na mga politiko. Siguro nauunahan lang ng takot ‘yung management pero kapag napaliwanagan naman nagbabayad naman sila,” he said.
Asked whether the NEA plans to file cases against officials who refuse to pay, Almeda said electric cooperatives can disconnect the electricity service of consumers with unpaid bills.
“Wala naman tayong magagawa kung outstanding at hindi binabayaran, puputulan natin ng kuryente,” Almeda said.
