President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law extending the lifeline rate or the subsidized rate in electricity bills for poor households.

Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) No. 11552 on Thursday, May 27, amending the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2011 which was supposed to expire this coming June 26.

RA 11552 extends the lifeline rate for 50 years. This is the second time the provision was extended.

A copy of the law was sent to media on Monday, May 31.

“The level of consumption, subsidy, and rate shall be determined by the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) after due notice and hearing,” the amended portion read.

Qualified households are those who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and those who have been certified by a distribution utility following the criteria determined by the ERC.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate energy committee, earlier said around 5.5 million households are expected to benefit from the subsidized rate, with an estimated P900 in electricity savings yearly. – Rappler.com