Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) spokesperson Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao confirmed this Wednesday that beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) may qualify for a free monthly electric bill.

Dumlao clarified that a beneficiary is automatically considered for the discount for as long as their household has low-consumption under R.A. 11552 or the Expanded Lifeline Rate Law.

“Ngayon ang ating mga 4Ps beneficiaries automatic po mare-register dito sa programa na ito at awtomatiko po magkakaroon ng 100 percent discount o walang babayaran kung yung kanilang monthly consumption ay hindi hihigit sa 50 kilowatt per hour,” she explained.

Under R.A. 11552, 4Ps beneficiaries were stated among qualified beneficiaries to receive the “subsidy on monthly electric bills” that was indicated through Section 73 of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA).

Signed into law by former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2001, EPIRA allows families that are considered as low-income households to be provided with support to cope with their electricity bills.

In a report released by the Department of Finance in July of 2025, it detailed that 30 percent of Filipinos are considered at the bottom when it comes to household income as determined by income distribution throughout the country.

With this development, 4Ps members are automatically provided discounts under the Lifeline Rate Subsidy Program as long as they comply with the 50kwh threshold set by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Aside from the total discount, some households that were previously approved by the ERC to receive discounts despite consuming more than 50kwh are still set to receive their pre-existing subsidies.

Through the same interview, Dumlao stressed that 4Ps is a program established to provide support for people below the poverty line and sought to eliminate the negative stigma surrounding beneficiaries for being lazy and reliant on this government service.

“Dapat lahat ng mga poor, vulnerable, marginalized ay mapasama sa pag-unlad ng ating bayan. That is the reason why we are helping these poor families by investing in human capital, particularly on education and health,” she stated.

“Hindi pino-promote ng program ang katamaran or indolence. Kasi po nagsusumikap yung mga ating 4Ps beneficiaries na madagdagan yung kanilang resources para matustusan yung pangangailangan ng kanilang buong pamilya,” Dumlao added.