QC solon to Meralco: Continue waiving convenience fee

Quezon City Rep. Anthony Peter "Onyx" Crisologo urged the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to continue waiving the P47 convenience fee for its online payment.

Crisologo said some consumers are choosing online payment options because they are finding it difficult to go to payment centers because of the limited number of public utility vehicles under General Community Quarantine (GCQ) in Metro Manila.

“Sana po intindihin rin ng Meralco if you can possibly still waive it because kahit naman GCQ na tayo and open na po ang business centers po ninyo, yung normal na tao, yung mamamayan natin wala po silang means of transportation,” he said.

(I hope Meralco can understand this, if you can possibly still waive it because, even if we're now under GCQ and your business centers have reopened, people have no means of transportation).

Meralco Senior Vice President and Legal and Corporate Governance Office Head Atty. William Pamintuan said his company waived the fee when their business centers and other payment channels were closed during the ECQ (Enhanced Community Quarantine).

“Our consumers now have options in terms of how they will pay their bills," Pamintuan said. “Because of the opening of business centers, the waiver will not be effective anymore.”

Pamintuan however said Meralco will consider Crisologo’s suggestion.

Meralco earlier said that convenience fees do not go to Meralco, but to the online payment service provider.