The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association has reinforced its commitment to consumer welfare while safeguarding the financial health of electric cooperatives, following renewed collaboration with the Energy Regulatory Commission Energy Regulatory Commission on the rollout of the Uniform National Lifeline Subsidy Rate under ERC Resolution No. 2, series of 2026.
Discussions held on 25 February 2026 brought together PHILRECA, the ERC, and the APEC Party-List in a focused dialogue aimed at addressing operational, financial, and implementation issues raised by electric cooperatives during the program’s initial stages.
At the core of the talks was the shared objective of extending equitable electricity assistance to marginalized member-consumer-owners, while ensuring that cooperatives remain financially viable and operationally stable.\
PHILRECA flagged several key concerns critical to the program’s success, including the adequacy of funding, the timely release of lifeline subsidy funds, and the accuracy of beneficiary identification using the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program database of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
The association emphasized that close coordination among institutions would be essential to prevent funding gaps and implementation bottlenecks that could strain cooperatives and dilute the program’s intended impact.\
PHILRECA executive director and general manager Janeene Depay-Colingan said the engagement underscores a collective effort to balance social protection with sector sustainability. She noted that expanding access to affordable electricity for disadvantaged consumers must go hand in hand with policies that allow electric cooperatives to continue delivering reliable service across their franchise areas.
APEC Party-List Representative Sergio C. Dagooc echoed this support, backing the ERC’s push to broaden access to lifeline subsidies in line with the intent of Republic Act No. 11552.
He also urged the Commission to remain agile as the program rolls out, calling for swift remedies or adjustments should implementation challenges arise, to protect both consumers and distribution utilities.
In response, the ERC assured PHILRECA and its member cooperatives that it will closely monitor the Lifeline Subsidy Fund to ensure its solvency and capacity to meet funding requirements, while preventing unintended financial or operational pressures on the sector.
Both PHILRECA and the ERC agreed to sustain their collaboration moving forward, with plans to pursue further measures that enhance transparency, sharpen subsidy targeting, and strengthen confidence in the program as a long-term support mechanism for low-income electricity consumers nationwide.
