MANILA, Philippines - Consumers vowed to oppose plans of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to hike electricity rates in the next 5 years.

The power distributor has filed its application for a rate hike with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on Wednesday.

Meralco stands to collect P200 billion if its petition is approved.

Beginning in 2012, Meralco wants to collect P47 billion which translates to a P0.05 per kilowatthour increase; P50 billion in 2013 or a P0.12 per kwh hike; P52.9 billion in 2013 or an increase of P0.06 per kwh and P55.5 billion in 2015, also a P0.06 per kwh increase.

Aside from these, Meralco is also seeking to recover P18 billion from increases it was unable to implement in recent months.

"Sa ating mga consumer, nauna na tayong nagbayad sa isang bagay na pinangko pa lamang nila," said Giovanni Tapang, head of the activist group People Opposed To Warrantless Electricity Rates or POWER.

ERB Executive Director Francis Juan said however, that consumers will not be short-changed because Meralco will be using proceeds from the rate hikes to improve its services.

POWER said it will also investigate plans to scrap the power rate subsidy for the power.

Currently, those with consumption of less than 100 kilowatthours per month are given a discount of up to 50%.