MEDINA, Misamis Oriental — Consumers who pay their electricity bills on Monday may still face late-payment penalties when their due dates fall on Sunday, prompting a Medina councilor to ask MORESCO II to explain its billing policy.
Councilor Melchor “Roy” Corrales said he raised the issue during two previous sessions of the Sangguniang Bayan, seeking an explanation from the Misamis Oriental II Rural Electric Service Cooperative (MORESCO II) on why its bills can fall due on Sundays, when its offices are closed.
Corrales said he was charged more than ₱300 in penalties on his latest bill after its due date fell on a Sunday.
“If the due date falls on a Sunday and the office is closed, how can consumers make their payments?” he said.
He questioned why consumers who pay on the next working day could still be penalized, adding that other electricity users may have encountered the same situation.
Corrales said MORESCO II management did not attend the council’s regular session on Oct. 13, despite an invitation issued during an earlier session.
The council sent another communication to the cooperative during the Oct. 13 session, again asking it to explain its Sunday deadlines and the penalties charged to consumers who pay after the stated due date.
Councilor Philip Tarongoy also said he had experienced a bill due on a Sunday and supported inviting MORESCO II management again to discuss the policy.
Corrales urged the cooperative to adjust its billing system so that due dates do not fall on Sundays. If they do, he said, payments made on Monday should be treated as on time and should not incur penalties.
