MANILA — The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) announced that its power rate for March 2026 has increased by PHP0.6427 per kilowatt hour (kWh) due to higher transmission and generation charges.

The adjustment brought the overall rate to PHP13.8161/kWh, which would raise the monthly bill of a household consuming 200 kWh by about PHP129.

In a briefing, Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said the transmission charge rose following a 70-percent increase in the ancillary service charge by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for the capacity tapped from the Reserve Market.

Generation charges also climbed by PHP0.2209/kWh, bringing the total to PHP7.8607/kWh.

Zaldarriaga noted that electricity costs could rise further due to oil supply concerns amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. He urged consumers to conserve energy to manage usage and costs.

“Power consumption normally increases by around 20 percent to 33 percent during the summer months due to longer usage of air conditioning units and fans,” he said, adding that turning off unused appliances, unplugging them, and using natural light when possible can help reduce consumption.

The move to a four-day workweek for government agencies is expected to lower office power use but may increase household consumption, prompting Zaldarriaga to remind the public to be mindful of electricity use.

“It is imperative for us to use electricity wisely. As long as you’re able to utilize energy efficiently, that’s a big help,” he said.