SONA 2026: Marcos pushes EPIRA amendment to scrap system loss charges

Marcos calls for amending EPIRA to stop passing system loss costs onto consumers.

Courtesy: PCO

Who should pay system loss?

President Bongbong Marcos has pushed for the immediate amendment of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) of 2001 to prohibit passing on system loss charges to electricity consumers, including the corresponding value-added tax.

The president made the call during his fifth State of the Nation Address.

Sa aking palagay panahon na para tanggalin na natin ang system loss na pinapasa sa consumer. Pinapasa ito sa consumer at kinakarga sa bill na pinapatungan pa ng value-added tax. Hindi naman kasalanan ng consumer kung bakit nagkaroon ng system loss, Marcos said.

He made the declaration amid soaring electricity costs in the country.

Lawmakers have filed resolutions to investigate the issue.

Marcos has also called for the immediate passage of the proposed "Sariling Kuryente" Act, which seeks to simplify and reduce the cost of installing solar panels and battery storage systems in homes, allowing more families to generate their own electricity and help bring down electricity rates.

He assured the public that the government recognizes their clamor for lower electricity prices and is pursuing reforms to make energy more affordable for Filipino households.

What do you think?

Source: PCO; Via