Manila, Feb. 17 -- House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander "Sandro" Marcos is pushing for the passage of a measure granting free electricity to low-consumption households, replacing the current cross-subsidy system with a direct government subsidy aimed at making power more affordable and equitable nationwide.

House Bill No. 2700, or the proposed Free Electricity for Low-Consumption Households Act, seeks to institutionalize a direct government subsidy that will fully cover electricity bills of eligible households within a defined monthly threshold, while exempting the subsidized portion from the 12 percent value-added tax (VAT).

Under the proposed measure, an eligible household refers to a residential consumer whose average monthly co...