Republic Act No. 7832 - Rules and Regulations of the Anti- Pilferage of Electricity and Theft of Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Act of 1994

There are two sets of violations defined and penalized under RA 7832, namely:
- Illegal use of electricity under Sec.2 of RA 7832;
- Theft of electric power, transmission lines and materials, etc. under Section 3 of RA 7832

VECO is closely coordinating with the local government and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to enforce vigilance over VECO's entire franchise area. Under RA 7832, the tampering of electric meters and using any illegal connections to steal electricity is punishable by:

Prision Mayor (i.e. imprisonment of six years and one day up to 12 years) or a fine ranging from P10,000 to P20,000, or both at the discretion of the court.

Payment of the estimated amount of stolen electricity plus a heavy surcharge of up to 100%.

For our common interest, and for immediate action, everybody is encouraged to report any and all cases of pilferage or theft, electric lines and materials to the Customer Retail Services Department (CRSD) at VECO's Full Service Center located at the 3rd Level, SM City Cebu or through telephone no. 230-VECO(8326). VECO shall use all legal means and resources available to cause the prosecution of all offenders and see to it that they are punished and/or penalized to the fullest extent of the law.


IMPLICATIONS OF ELECTRICITY PILFERAGE AND HOW YOU CAN HELP
Electricity theft, as the name implies is plain thievery similar to burglary. In order for the electric industry to remain viable and sustainable, electricity theft must be stopped and discouraged starting from its origins, the consumers.

IT IS ILLEGAL
Stealing, in any form, is a crime and punishable by law. RA 7832, otherwise known as the ANTI-ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES/MATERIALS PILFERAGE ACT OF 1994, provides for prision mayor to persons found guilty of this illegal act.

Consuming electricity without being officially connected to the supply point of VECO, or getting electricity directly from VECO's distribution line without being metered, as well as tampering with the kilo-watthour meter, is considered illegal. For you to get a legitimate connection with VECO, you can call our hotline 230-VECO(8326) during office hours or visit our Full Service Center office at the 3rd level, SM City Cebu. Our friendly customer service representatives will be happy to assist you on your application.

IT AFFECTS QUALITY OF SUPPLY
Illegal connections tend to overload the supply line thereby causing trippings and interruptions. They can also cause damage to VECO's supply lines making restoration of power take a while longer. Overloading of the supply line can likewise cause the voltage to drop to unacceptable levels. Similar to overvoltage, undervoltage can likewise damage or shorten the useful life of some electrical appliances such as refrigerators, airconditioners, television sets and other appliances that have electric motors or sensitive electronic parts. The legitimate customers of VECO do not deserve to be subjected to this quandary, that is why we are urging all our customers to report electricity theft to our office. We guarantee total confidentiality of the informant's identity.

IT IS NOT SAFE
In majority of the cases, illegal connections are done using bare wires without appropriate protective devices, thus endangering the safety of the general public. Recent studies also confirm illegal connections to be the most common cause of fires especially in densely populated neighborhoods where illegal connections thrive.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Stop the practice if you are already doing it. Don't be a thief. Raise the matter in your barangay forums, or to your civic organizations to raise awareness. Notify VECO if someone has been stealing electricity in your area.