7 New VAT Charges on Electric Bill - Ouch!

Have you folks noticed your electric bill, lately? There are 7 new VAT charges added on everyone's electric bill. Actualy this was since Dec. 2005 when they started implementing VAT (value added tax) adjustments. When I say everyone, of course, I mean everyone who has legal connections, not those stealing electricity by tapping on someone else's connections maybe because they think they could smart out everyone or want to get even with the Manila Electric Company. But least they know, Meralco could be passing all their revenue losses (from stolen electricity) to legitimate subscribers like you and me, through any one of those tricky charges. Who knows?

That's how they do it with this new VAT charges, according to Atty. Anthony Rosete (Meralco VAT Implementation Task Force Chairman), "The VAT is revenue neutral to Meralco and that all VAT collections will accrue to the government. The VAT component on the charges to be reflected in the Meralco bill is only a passthrough charge. Hence, Meralco only serves as a collecting agent of the government for the collection of the VAT."

Anyway, here are the 7 new VAT charges, the value in % varies depending on your KWH electricity usage:
1. VAT for Generation Charge (7.30%)
2. VAT for Transmission Charge (8.22%)
3. VAT for System Loss Charge (7.44%)
4. VAT for Power Act Reduction (7.96%) this one is not included in the bill but with VAT :D
5. VAT for Distribution Rev. (wonder what this is) & Subsidy (10%)
6. VAT Backbilling
7. Franchise Tax Backbilling - also not included in the bill but with VAT :D

I was trying to look for an explanation on each one of these VAT charges but so far I haven't got any clear explanation yet, either from the customer service reps or the website www.meralco.com.ph. Well, accoding to the website, the only items that Meralco charges are:

--> Distribution Charge, Metering, Supply, and CERA

While the rest of the items go to the government, NPC, independent power producers, Transco and other socalled players or conduits in this industry:

--> Pass Through Charges, Generation, Transmission, System Loss, Franchise Tax, Universal Charge, Lifeline Subsidy, Lifeline Discount, and Interclass Subsidy

I will leave it with you folks, if you want to believe all these :D but for me and all those consumers out there, do we have a choice?

Why can't we make the playing field competitive in the power industry by allowing other power companies to provide service, aside from just Meralco, which has got a long history of monopoly in this business. See what happened to the telephone industry after we have liberalized it by letting other players to join in? We now enjoy affordable rates and more choices of better and quality service.

Pardon Me BPI Master Card

It was good thing we have blogging nowadays because we have venue to express ourselves rather than just pout in a corner or burn energies as we fume with madness because no one wants to hear our valid complaints.

I got a very bad experience this morning regarding my e-credit card with BPI (Bank of the Phil. Island) Master Card. This e-credit is separate from my regular credit card because I must admit I still don't trust the web for my credit card number. The card has expired in Dec. 2005 and 'til now BPI-MC hasn't replaced it yet despite my prior notice on Dec.7 that I will need it in January. I was given a reference number then to follow-up for the availability of the card because there seemed to be a "production shortage" according to the lady customer service rep.

I called its 89-100 hotline this morning to inquire on the card, hoping at least that I could get a new number and use it today to pay for my domain name renewal. But, a customer rep. told me there's still no available card and number yet and I can't use this one because it's expired and so she gave me another reference number so I could follow-up again.

In short, I couldn't use it when I needed it most. While, conveniently, BPI-MC has charged me already this year's membership fee in advance, not to mention I just paid for this month and I couldn't afford to miss a day and deal with the penalty and other charges. I started to get a bit tensed and asked the lady where I could raise my complaint because I felt it was valid - I have been a responsible paying customer for years and so I expect the same promptness and professionalism from BPI-MC.

I was given a telephone # of the officer in charge of credit card production, a certain Tess Copo. I was passed from one department to another and when it came to her desk she was nowhere. I tried two more times but busy, busy, busy. I gave up since I still got work to do.

I felt so helpless and left with two choices: make a persistent followup calls or just wait 'til it's available. It is so saddening that customers/consumers, especially in the Philippines, always end up helpless or left with unfavorable choices. I wonder how we enforce Consumer Rights in this country and how companies respond.

Welcome All True Advocates Out There!!!

Hi! Welcome to my blog site. I'm Marilyn, owner of this site and a simple person with a complex view of life, peace-loving and justice-seeking citizen of my country and the world :D (hehe sounds like a beauty pageant line).

I'm maybe one of a few remaining believers on the "innate" goodness of man; optimistic that there are still more out there who believe in anything good and practice its basic principles: love, respect, care, trust, honesty, humility, sacrifice and commitment-- not just for themselves but for others as well. I must admit, these principles may sound basic but very difficult to live with.

I might also share my personal anecdotes and some momentous accounts of my life's victories and tragedies. Might also give you something that could provoke your ire, curiousity or disbelief or a complete contrasting picture of goodness. But, whatever opinion I may have here is just my two cents worth. The intention really is to advance my own personal advocacy in exploring and spreading the goodness of man.