BAGUIO CITY — The Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) is now ready to accept the applications of the beneficiaries of the government’s 4Ps and those certified to be under the poverty threshold for lifeline rate subsidy on electric consumption.

The call for applications is in line with the government’s new thrust on who should avail of the discounted rates on electricity based on low consumption pursuant to the guidelines recently issued by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

The discounts will be made available to the grantees of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps as well as well as to those who are not 4Ps beneficiaries but are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) must certify both kinds of customers pursuant to Republic Act 11552, the new law that enhanced the lifeline rate subsidy previously followed by distribution utilities.

The lifeline rate subsidy is a socialized pricing mechanism under Electric Power Industry Reform Act (Republic Act 9136) where low income captive customers are given discounts provided their level electric consumption is 45 kilowatt hours (kWh) a month.

The subsidy, however, only benefitted marginalized consumers who have existing meter accounts.

The subsidy also covered owners of condominium units and vacation houses whose use of electricity was low since their residences are occupied rarely.

Fraiser Angayen, non-network services department manager, said the new law sought to expand the subsidy to marginalized consumers whether they are 4Ps beneficiaries or not.

Angayen said the ERC has directed the distribution utilities like BENECO to still maintain the allowable threshold of monthly consumption as basis of the subsidy.

According to Angayen, the list of all consumers and condominium owners who are currently enjoying the lifeline rate subsidy will be removed by August 1, 2023.

The list will be replaced by those consumers who applied as 4Ps and consumers who live below the poverty threshold based on the guidelines issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The DSWD has already provided the list of 4Ps beneficiaries to BENECO.

The beneficiaries can now approach BENECO in South Drive, Baguio City and apply for the subsidy.

Marginalized consumers who are not 4Ps can also apply at BENECO provided they can submit a certification from the DSWD that they live below the poverty threshold.

For the 4Ps beneficiaries, they must also submit to BENECO the following:

1. 1. Duly accomplished application form; and
   2. Most recent electricity bill; and
   3. Any government-issued ID.

The marginalized consumers who are not 4Ps must submit the same requirements including the DSWD certification that they are marginalized consumers.

In case the two sets of consumers do not have an existing account with BENECO, they can submit the account of the building where they reside.