MANILA, Philippines – Iminungkahi ng Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) na alisin ang 12% value-added tax (VAT) sa system loss charges upang mabawasan ang gastos sa kuryente ng mga Pilipino.
Ayon sa ERC, naghain ito ng draft resolution na mag-aamyenda sa ilang probisyon ng ERC Resolution No. 20 (2005) at ERC Resolution No. 14 (2022).
Layunin ng panukala na ideklara ang system loss charge bilang government-mandated pass-through cost na hindi dapat isama sa gross receipts ng generation companies, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), at distribution utilities (DUs) para sa layunin ng 12% VAT sa ilalim ng National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC) of 1997, as amended.
Kapag naisapinal at nakumpirma ng Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), aalisin ang VAT sa system loss charge.
Ang system loss ay tumutukoy sa kuryenteng nabuo at binayaran ngunit nawala habang ipinapadala at ipinapamahagi bago makarating sa mga consumer. Sa kasalukuyang sistema, binabayaran ng mga consumer ang nawalang kuryente at nagbabayad pa ng VAT sa naturang singil.
Ayon kay ERC chairperson at CEO Francis Saturnino Juan, “System loss is electricity that consumers pay for but never receive.” Dagdag pa niya, “Imposing VAT on top of a charge for electricity that was never delivered to consumers is fundamentally at odds with the nature of VAT as a tax on the value of goods and services actually rendered. This proposed Resolution addresses that and gives consumers the relief they rightly deserve. This is a concrete and immediate step as directed by the President toward making electricity more affordable.”
Sinabi rin niya, “Working within our existing regulatory authority and in close coordination with the BIR, we are seeking to remove a layer of taxation that consumers have been shouldering for far too long.”
Magsasagawa ang ERC ng public consultation sa Agosto 25, 2026, at maaaring magsumite ng written comments hanggang Agosto 18, 2026 ang mga generation companies, distribution utilities, NGCP, consumer groups, at iba pang interesadong sektor. RNT/MDS
