Senior Citizens Party-list Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes on Wednesday backed calls in the Senate to review taxes embedded in electricity bills, saying these charges have become an added burden on consumers.

Ordanes welcomed proposals for the Energy Regulatory Commission to study the impact of reducing or removing taxes, including the 12 percent value-added tax and other government-imposed charges.

“Power rates are already too heavy for ordinary Filipinos, especially our senior citizens living on fixed incomes. Every additional tax and charge on electricity only makes life harder for those already choosing between paying utility bills and buying medicine or food,” he said.

The lawmaker echoed concerns raised during a Senate PROTECT committee hearing that taxes, levies, and pass-through charges, including system losses, are contributing to high electricity costs.

He said the proposed review is a step toward providing immediate relief to consumers.

Ordanes added that the government should rethink how subsidies in the power sector are funded, stressing that the burden should not fall on consumers.

“Government should be the one carrying the burden of subsidies, not everyday consumers who are already paying enough. Hindi dapat ipinapasa sa taumbayan ang mga obligasyon ng gobyerno,” he said.

He also expressed support for proposals to reduce or remove VAT on electricity, saying such measures would provide direct relief to households amid persistent inflation.

The party-list group said it will support measures aimed at lowering electricity costs and protecting vulnerable sectors from what it described as unjustified charges.