Some 78,585 household beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Negros Oriental are expected to benefit from the government’s electricity subsidy program under Republic Act (RA) 11552.

Both Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative (Noreco) 1 and 2 have started accepting 4Ps applicants who can avail of the lifeline electricity discount rate.

The Department of Energy has reminded power consumers nationwide who are on the list of 4Ps administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to register with their distribution utilities (DUs) to continue availing the discount for lifeline consumers.

Applications to avail of the lifeline rate program shall continue to be processed by the DUs, but discounts will be effective only upon registration.

RA 11552, or “An Act Extending and Enhancing the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate,” identifies the DSWD’s 4Ps beneficiaries as a group that will also benefit from the lifeline rate if their consumption is below 100 kilowatt hours (kWh).

The subsidized rates are given to low-income customers using electricity below 100 kWh per month who cannot afford to pay their bills at full cost.

As of this writing, over a hundred 4Ps beneficiaries have applied for Noreco 1 starting last month, while a few applications for Noreco 2 have now been approved and others are still being evaluated.

Meantime, the DSWD here together with the electric coops has conducted ongoing orientation-sessions on the application for 4Ps beneficiaries.

To qualify, the beneficiary must first get a certification from the Social Welfare and Development Office of the local government unit and apply for eligibility at the electric coop. (PIA-7 Negros Oriental)