Iligan city: The Iligan City government has welcomed the Energy Regulatory Commission's (ERC) decision to decrease power rates in the Visayas and Mindanao. In a statement on Friday, Mayor Frederick Siao said he joins the consumers in welcoming the ERC's move to recalculate the August 2026 billing period and investigate the cause of the sudden spike in rates imposed by corporate and cooperative power distributors. "We will not stop at welcoming this (ERC) decision; we will monitor its implementation to ensure there's relief for our consumers," he said.
According to Philippines News Agency, the ERC's recent order directs that the August 2026 billing period and the subsequent application of the Secondary Price Cap would lower Mindanao rates by 56 percent, from PHP19,590 per megawatt-hour to PHP8,690. In June, the Iligan City Council passed Resolution 26-552, urging the ERC to conduct a thorough investigation into the increased power rates imposed by its distributor, Iligan Light and Power Inc. (ILPI).
By August, ILPI imposed the highest rate in the Northern Mindanao region, reportedly at PHP15 per kilowatt-hour, even though Iligan City hosts three main renewable hydroelectric power plants along the Agus River, anchored by Maria Cristina Falls. The local government supported the Iligan City People's Council, which staged a "Black Hour" rally on Sept. 1 to protest the power rate increase; a second event was held on Sept. 8.
