‘Diay saan nakabayad ti April bills lang’: KAELCO clarifies mass disconnection amid consumer backlash over power outages

Tabuk City, Kalinga – The Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative Inc. (KAELCO) has released a clarification regarding its ongoing mass disconnection activities, explaining that only consumers with unpaid electric bills prior to May 2026 are affected.

In the agency’s Facebook post on May 12, the management clarified that the mass disconnections are not contrary to the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) consumer protection measures, which temporarily suspend disconnections for certain billing periods.

According to the advisory, the suspension covers electricity consumption for the months of May, June, and July 2026, with billing for the May 2026 consumption period officially starting on May 13.

The cooperative further explained that the ongoing disconnection activities apply only to consumers with unpaid electric bills incurred before May 2026, particularly unpaid accounts from April and earlier periods, which are already considered overdue.

“…the current mass disconnection operations pertain only to unpaid electric bills incurred prior to May 2026, particularly unpaid accounts for April 2026 and earlier billing periods… consumers with outstanding balances from these previous periods remain subject to disconnection in accordance with existing policies and collection procedures. Moreover, even if the billing periods covered by the advisory—May 2026, June 2026, and July 2026—are protected from disconnection, consumers who still have unpaid bills prior to May 2026 remain subject to disconnection due to their existing arrears,” the agency wrote.

The clarification, however, drew mixed reactions from consumers online, with many residents questioning the timing of the mass disconnection activities as well as the consecutive unannounced power interruptions experienced across the province in recent days.

“Wen a kuma ngem haan kayo met kuma patay-sindi… nu ag-cut kayo haan yu aramiden nga patay-sindi ti kuryente. Maasi kayo met kanyami nga consumers yo apo KAELCO. Nu man ag-cut kayo, notice kayo, haan lang diyay nakakabil idiay bill nga disconnection. Adda kuma letter po, maraming salamat po,” one commenter expressed.

“Ket uray pay nu kasta ket agpaabiso kayo met, saan nga kasta nga on and off kayo ta agbaybayad kami met iti husto,” another consumer said.

As of this writing, KAELCO has yet to release further statements regarding additional measures or possible considerations for affected consumers.