Utilities [Meralco, PLDT, Globe, etc] Installment or Extension of Payments Due to COVID-19

May 18, 2020 – The “new” normal is upon us. As the country prepares for more relaxed versions of community quarantine (MECQ, GCQ), Filipinos will also be facing the fact that all those bills are not really waived. While banks extend payments of credit card bills and loans at no interest charged, they all have to be paid eventually. The same is true with our utility bills (electricity, water, Internet, etc). This article may not jibe with the contents of this website but after 30 inquiries regarding this very topic, I decided to write about it.

Utilities Payment Extension FAQs

The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act does not only instruct banks to extend the payment period for loans. At its very core, it asks all private and public organizations and companies to work together to ease the burden of the public during this period of crisis. This extends to the companies manning our utilities. As such, here are their advisories when it comes to payment of their bills.

Globe Offers Up to 6 Months Installment Payment for Postpaid Customers

Globe will give all its postpaid customers an installment payment program to pay their outstanding balances. This includes their customers on:

1. Globe mobile postpaid
2. Globe at Home (Internet)
3. Business
4. Enterprise

Globe said their customers need to worry about staying connected because the installment term can be up to 6 months. The customers have to enroll online at https://www.globe.com.ph/installment between May 15 – June 15, 2020. Business customers can get in touch with their account managers for enrollment and other details.

PLDT and Smart – 6-Month Installment Bills Payments

PLDT, Smart, and Sun subscribers implemented on May 1, 2020, a 6-month installment payment program for the outstanding monthly bills of their postpaid subscribers.

The unpaid balances as of April 30, 2020, can be paid in 6 equal monthly payments with 0% interest and no penalties. Check this FAQ from PLDT regarding the payment extension.

Meralco

Meralco said unpaid electricity bills due with ECQ period (March 1 – May 15, 2020) can be paid in 4 monthly installments. The 1st installment can be checked on the May 16 bill dates onwards.

Note. Some March and all April bills were estimated based on the past 3 month’s average daily consumption following the Distribution Services and Open Access Rules (DSOAR) issued by the ERC. Meralco also said December 2019, January 2020, and February 2020 were considered “low consumption months” compared to the summer months of March, April, and May.

What are the factors affecting the May 2020 bill of Meralco (note: their words, not mine):

• Increased consumption during ECQ (because everyone’s at home and using electricity, especially fans and aircons).
• Temperatures at record-high
• Actual Consumption minus Estimated Consumption was added in the May 2020 bill.

To help us understand, Meralco provided the following chart for installment calculations:

Finally, the electric company said bills dated May 16 – September 2020 will be significantly higher because of the installment, and that the bills will normalize beginning October 2020.

Sky Cable and Sky Broadband

Bill payment grace period ended for Sky Cable and Broadband subscribers on May 15, 2020. For due dates beginning May 16, 2020, subscribers can opt to settle atleast 50% of the outstanding balance on or before the due date. Subscribers will not be disconnected if customers settle half of their outstanding bill.

Converge ICT

Converge ICT provided 30-day payment extension for all due dates falling within the ECQ period.

Maynilad

Maynilad said it will be suspending the disconnection of overdue accounts during ECQ period.

As of May 15, 2020, Maynilad has not addressed the request for installment payments.

Manila Water

Manila Water said the extension of payment due date for 30 days for any due dates falling during the ECQ period. Water bills are derived from the average actual consumption for the past 3 months before ECQ was implemented.

Cignal TV

Cignal Postpaid subscribers are given 30-day payment extensions on their due dates.

Royal Cable

Royal Cable said they will defer the subscription payments due on March and April 2020 in 8 equal monthly installments starting with the May 2020 billing.

This article is published on BitPinas: Utilities [Meralco, PLDT, Globe, etc] Installment or Extension of Payments Due to COVID-19