Proposes subsidy for Water and Wastewater for Eligible Households
The 2017 Fiscal Year Budget Bill submitted to the Olbiil Era Kelulau on February 13, President Remengesau kept some of his former initiatives of subsidizing seniors’ costs of living and alleviating consumers of the burdening rise in cost of utilities.
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In the bill, President Remengesau proposes the sum of $2 million to continue the additional $50.00 monthly benefit payment for Social Security beneficiaries serving as an alternative to the Senior Citizen Discount Program (RPPL No. 8-49).
“The cost of living in Palau continues to rise for Palauans and our senior citizens suffer the most with keeping up with living financial obligations. This proposal furthermore, aims to alleviate the burdening costs of essential needs such as food and household supplies as well as to continue giving our seniors additional purchasing power,” says President Remengesau.
Included in the President’s budget proposal, is subsidy for the Palau Public Utilities Corporation water and wastewater operations of $1 million towards eligible households using lower than 5000 gallons of combined water and wastewater use per month and eligible households that use lower than 150 KWH of electricity per month.
“We would like for the electricity subsidy program to continue and begin implementing the water and wastewater subsidy program supporting low-income households not only because of the rising costs of utilities, but also to promote energy and water conservation giving each eligible household incentive to be mindful of unnecessary usage of power and water. Eligible households that practice energy and water conservation will surely benefit by keeping their electricity usage below 150KWH and their water use lower than 5000 gallons per month,” adds President Remengesau. [/restrict]