A Manila resident, Mariz Acebron, was left in utter disbelief when she received an electric bill amounting to over P134,000, despite having her electricity disconnected since the pandemic due to unpaid bills. The incident, now under investigation by the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), has raised serious concerns and confusion.
According to a report by Raffy Tima on GTV’s “Balitanghali,” Mariz and her family, residing in the Gawad Kalinga Village in the Baseco Compound, were cut off from the electrical service when they couldn’t settle a P9,000 bill. Since then, they have been relying on electricity borrowed from a relative’s connection to power basic necessities like two light bulbs and a small electric fan.
Before the staggering P134,000 bill, the family had received another surprising bill for P24,000 for the month of August last year. “Suddenly, last September, this P24,000 bill appeared. How could we receive a bill when our electricity was cut off a long time ago?” Mariz questioned.
Promptly after receiving the P24,000 bill, Mariz approached Meralco for clarification and was assured that the issue would be looked into. Despite promises of follow-up, Mariz claims she did not receive any communication from the company. Believing the issue to have been resolved, as no further bills arrived, she was taken aback when the enormous P134,000 bill surfaced in December.
Mariz expressed her confusion and concern, “What happened to the bills for September, October, and November? We didn’t receive anything. And how can the meter be running since August when we haven’t been using it, and the consumption is too high?”
In a plea for clarity and fairness, Mariz called for a thorough investigation into the situation, “I hope this P134,000, which we clearly did not consume, can be resolved.”
GMA Integrated News has communicated Mariz’s concerns to Meralco. Preliminary investigations suggest a possible unauthorized reconnection of their line. Meralco has committed to conducting a detailed investigation into the complaint and to cooperate with Mariz Acebron in resolving the billing issue.