MANILA, July 29 -- Malacanang on Wednesday clarified that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s proposal to remove system loss charges from electricity bills is intended to protect consumers from paying for avoidable costs and not to financially burden electric utilities, as the government studies amendments to the country's power reform law.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro issued the clarification after the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) warned that eliminating system loss charges without government support could result in financial losses for electric cooperatives.

In a press briefing, Castro said the President's proposal seeks to end the long-standing practice of passing avoidable losses to consumers w...