Customers will have their meter deposits refunded

Manila, The Philippines — (METERING.COM) — June 9, 2008 – Customers of the Manila Electric Company will have the deposits they have paid for their electric meters refunded, and no deposits will be levied in future, according to a statement made by Meralco Vice President for Corporate Communication Elpi Cuna, Jr. According to him, “Meralco has ceased charging the meter deposit since the Magna Carta for residential electricity consumers and the DSOAR (non-residential customers) were implemented.

“In refunding the meter deposit, we will await the final guidelines that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) will set in so far as the mechanics are concerned,” Cuna said.

The ERC has instructed Meralco to implement the refund within six months.

Meanwhile there has been a call from the president and general manager of the Government Service Insurance System, Winston Garcia, for the utility to consider introducing prepaid cards, following on from the success of these cards in the cellular telephone industry. Garcia said this could be done by modifying customers’ electricity meters.