Press Release
April 10, 2021

Gatchalian: Prioritize power linemen and meter readers in vaccination rollout

Senator Win Gatchalian recommended to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) the inclusion of electrical linemen and meter readers in the priority list of the government's COVID-19 vaccination program, stressing their importance in the country's energy security and continuous supply of power.

"Just like the other non-medical frontliners, linemen and meter readers who do house-to-house work also put their lives on the line by getting themselves exposed to those who could be possibly infected by the coronavirus. We appeal to the government to consider their prioritization ahead of the mass vaccination," Gatchalian said.

Their inclusion in the priority list is essential as they attend to the concerns of every household, Gatchalian said, adding that linemen install lines and do maintenance, repair works and other technical problems even under circumstances where strict health protocols are being enforced. The senator added that meter readers will ensure the proper reading of meters for billing statements. Meralco has 756 meter readers and 7,306 line personnel. Meanwhile, there are an estimated 9,680 linemen and 2,420 meter readers from electric cooperatives (ECs) nationwide.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), following the re-imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in areas declared under the NCR plus bubble, recently appealed to the local government units (LGUs) to allow the conduct of onsite electric meter reading activities while ensuring compliance to the prescribed health protocols. In seeking to allow meter readers to do their job, the ERC said this is aimed at avoiding Meralco from resorting to estimated billings again similar to what happened last year that only caused a spike in electricity bills.

Meralco, for its part, said bill shock is unlikely to happen again as meter-reading activities remain uninterrupted.

"These linemen and meter readers do field work and put themselves in harm's way because they need to continue to provide for their respective families as well. They too can be considered as essential workers as their line of work ensures the unimpeded delivery of services of power facilities," Gatchalian said.

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Gatchalian: Electrical linemen, meter readers dapat prayoridad din sa vaccination program

Inirekomenda ni Senador Win Gatchalian sa Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) ang pagpapalawak ng priority list sa isinasagawang pagpapabakuna laban sa COVID-19 at isama ang mga electrical linemen at meter readers. Ayon sa senador, mahalaga ang ginagampanan nilang papel sa pagpapanatili ng tuloy-tuloy na suplay ng kuryente at kabuuang seguridad ng enerhiya sa bansa.

"Katulad ng ibang non-medical frontliners, ang mga linemen at meter readers na nagbabahay-bahay para makapagbigay serbisyo ay nalalagay din sa panganib. Maaari din silang mahawa kung may makasalamuha silang nahawaan na pala ng coronavirus. Kaya sana ikonsidera rin ang pagbibigay prayoridad sa kanila sa mga isinasagawang pagbabakuna," ani Gatchalian.

Mahalaga, ayon sa senador, ang pagsama sa kanila sa hanay ng mga nasa priority list dahil ang serbisyo nila ay tumutugon sa mga pangangailangan ng mga konsyumer na may kinalaman sa installation, maintenance, repair works at iba pang technical concerns pagdating sa kuryente sa gitna ng mahigpit na pagpapatupad ng health protocols, lalo na't nasa enhanced community quarantine o ECQ na naman ang mga lugar na nasa NCR plus bubble. Aniya, ang pagdeploy ng meter readers ay makakasigurong tama ang singil sa kuryente ng mga konsyumer.

May 756 na meter readers at 7,306 na line personnel ang Meralco. Samantala, mayroon namang tinatayang 9,680 na linemen at 2,420 na meter readers mula sa iba't-ibang electric cooperatives (ECs) sa buong bansa.

Matatandaang nagkaroon ng bill shock ang Meralco noong isang taon dahil hindi nakapag-deploy ng meter readers kasunod ng ipinapatupad noong ECQ, bagay na nagbigay ng kalituhan sa electricity bill at nagbunsod ng katakot-takot na reklamo mula sa publiko.

Nauna nang nanawagan ang Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) sa mga lokal na pamahalaan na payagan ang pagsasagawa ng onsite electric meter reading sa kanilang mga nasasakupan matapos na ianunsiyo ang pagbabalik sa ECQ ng mga lugar na nasa ilalim ng NCR plus bubble.

Pero siniguro na ng Meralco na hindi na mangyayari uli ang bill shock dahil tuloy-tuloy naman daw ang meter reading activities.

"Sila na nasa field work ay nalalagay sa alanganin sa kagustuhang may maiuwing kita sa kani-kanilang pamilya. Sila rin ay dapat ituring na essential workers dahil ang kanilang trabaho ay ang magsiguro ng tuloy-tuloy na serbisyo ng power facilities," giit ni Gatchalian.

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