To streamline and enhance the issuance and delivery of bills and communications to electricity consumers, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) introduced a set of rules covering the distribution of electric bills through established platforms online. The ERC’s proposed “Rules on Electronic Billing and Communications for Electricity Consumers” (eBilling Rules) were submitted to a series of initial public consultations early this year.

The eBilling Rules, which proposed the use of Electronic Bills or eBills as an alternative to the existing paper bills issued monthly to end-users, covers all distribution utilities as well as their respective franchise areas and their customers. Covering monthly billing statements and consumer related correspondence, the eBilling Rules allows the customer to access the same via online portal, website or sent to the end-users through email. Initial public consultations were made at the ERC Head Office in Pasig City (26 January 2017) and its Visayas Field Office in Cebu (02 February 2017).    

ERC Chairman and CEO Jose Vicente B. Salazar said that the initiative is intended for distribution utilities to focus more on improving their operations rather than investing their time looking for the best mode of bill dispatch to their clients.

“The Rules on Electronic Billing will give distribution utilities the flexibility to implement their own rules, but it must be stressed that the consumers will be given the right to revert to the traditional mode of billing if they choose,” Salazar stressed.

Distribution utilities and their franchises, however, are still required to send end-users Disconnection Notices using the traditional mode of billing and sending correspondence.

Aside from the clear intention to shift to a more digital platform, the Rules aimed to cut the lag time between the production and delivery of bills and correspondence making these documents always up-to-date. Essentially, distribution utilities will be able to reduce administrative costs caused by traditional billing methods.

“With the proposed eBilling Rules, the ERC expects benefits for all stakeholders, and we are optimistic that through the public consultations, both distribution utilities and end-users will be able to appreciate the advantages of the new system,” Salazar said.