Leaders of the House of Representatives on Wednesday pledged to fast-track legislation removing system loss charges from electricity bills, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive during his fifth State of the Nation Address.

House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy said Congress is prepared to amend provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA) and the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997 to provide relief to consumers amid rising living costs.

"Our responsibility is to enact laws that could provide relief to the lives of the public. Congress is prepared to act and propose such reforms," Dy said.

Under EPIRA, distribution utilities are allowed to recover technical and non-technical system losses, including those resulting from electricity theft and transmission inefficiencies, by passing the costs on to consumers.

Dy argued that law-abiding consumers should not shoulder losses caused by utility operations or power theft.

"It is unjust that responsible consumers who pay for their electricity are burdened with the cost of system loss or electricity theft. Families should only pay for the electricity they actually consume," he said.

House Committee on Energy chair Rep. Jose Alvarez said the panel is ready to begin hearings on the proposed amendments and move the measure through the legislative process.

Alvarez said the committee supports the President's goal of making electricity more affordable, reliable, and sustainable.

"The House Committee on Energy will continue to work with urgency and purpose to pass these priority reforms. Affordable electricity is not merely an economic issue. It is a matter of improving the quality of life of every Filipino family," he said.

He added that the committee will also pursue other consumer-focused measures aimed at strengthening the country's energy security.