Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
Managing Monthly Budget
Amid Electricity bill Issues in a single family
This semi- research study was conducted to comply with the midterm
project on Science, Technology, and Society (STS)
Submitted to:
Mr. Bonifacio Dangalan
Submitted by:
Aculan, Edward
Bautista, Ariston III
De Belen, John Nelson
Sarmiento, Ivangrouper
March 2025
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
I. Introduction
Electricity costs are going up, making it tough for many Filipino families
to make ends meet. Many families are struggling to pay their bills and manage
their money because of these higher electricity prices. This research explores
the difficulties these families face and what they do to cope. Understanding
how they handle this situation is important for creating helpful financial advice
and support programs. We'll focus on De Belen's family to give a clear picture
of their challenges and solutions. We'll look at their daily lives, their spending
habits, and the choices they make to deal with high electricity bills. This will
help us understand the bigger picture of how rising electricity costs affect
Filipino families.
Purpose of the study:
This study aims to understand how De Belen's Family manage their
monthly budget, while facing high electricity bills. We want to identify their
budgeting strategies and challenges. The goal is to highlight practical
approaches to financial management. What we learn can help create programs
to support other families with similar money problems. Ultimately, this
research aims to help us better understand how the De Belen family handles
tough financial situations.
Scope and delimitation:
This study focuses on De Belen's family budgeting strategies during a
single interview, limiting and excluding external factors affecting their current
financial situation Introduction.
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
This study will focus on understanding the electricity and budgeting
challenges faced by the De Belen family. It aims to assess the difficulty in
managing their monthly electricity bill, their budgeting strategies, and the
impact of their energy-saving practices on their overall expenses.
Specifically, this study aims to answer the following questions:
1. What is the biggest challenge your family is facing in paying for electricity
bills and how do you manage your monthly budget?
2. What are some things you do to save money on electricity
2.1 How does this affect your monthly spending plan?
3. How to Specify the solution and address the problem?
4. How did this study relate to the concept of science and technology?
5. What is the impact of a solution in the development of your society?
II. Methodology
The interview was conducted with the De Belen Family, which is one of the
group members' relatives, a family that consists of five members living in
Barangay DulongBayan II San Mateo, Rizal. The family consists of five
members, the fathers who’s working, a housewife, an adult son, grade 11
students and an 8 yrs old child. The interviewer used a qualitative approach to
gather the information focusing on a single interview with one key respondent,
The respondents were purposefully selected by the researcher based on
members' suggestions to achieve concrete information, which is relevant,
authentic and first-hand experience that will reflect this study. The interview
garnered approximately 15 minutes, and it was conducted using prepared
questionnaires and open-handed questions to elaborate the thought and
experience of the respondent. The research question was divided into two
categories, the answer will come from the respondents and the other questions
will be answered by the researchers.
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
III. Findings and discussion
A. Description of Electricity Problems/ Family budget
During our interview with the De Belen family, we learned that they have a
sufficient monthly income, with an additional source of income from their sari-sari
store. Despite this, they still face a ₱2,000 electricity bill each month. This higher-
than-average bill is partly due to two houses being connected to a single electricity
meter.
The presence of their sari-sari store also contributes to their electricity
consumption. Refrigerators, lighting, and other appliances used for the store’s
operations add to the overall energy demand. This makes it even more challenging for
the family to track and manage their electricity usage effectively.
B. Effect on household
The ₱2,000 electricity bill adds some pressure to the family’s budget. While
they can manage the expense, it limits their flexibility in spending. Additionally, the
shared meter setup makes it harder to identify which household is contributing more
to the overall cost. This may lead to disagreements or concerns about fairness in
sharing expenses.
C. causes
Shared electricity meter, with two homes relying on one-meter, total
consumption naturally increases, making energy tracking difficult.
Even with conscious energy-saving efforts, running devices for two households
inevitably raise consumption, and since both homes are connected to one-meter,
unnoticed energy waste in either household can significantly impact the total bill.
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
IV. Solution and Recommendation
The family should consider using energy-saving appliances to reduce their
electricity consumption, such as LED light bulbs and energy saver refrigerators.
These types of appliances may help them reduce their electricity consumption.
The family should consider tracing their energy consumption every month to
better understand the flow of their electricity consumption which may help them to
mitigate unnecessary electrical usage.
The family may utilize a strategic plan about the electricity consumption, turn off the
appliances that are not in use to ensure that there is no waste electricity that will
reflect on their bills.
To address the monthly budget that may be faced by the household they
should adopt a structured financial plan that can prioritize the basic utilities
expenses. A concrete and detailed monthly budgeting can also mitigate the
unnecessary expenses.
V. conclusion
Based on our findings, the De Belen family's electricity issue stems from their
shared meter setup, which makes it difficult to track and manage individual
household consumption. While their monthly income is sufficient to cover the ₱2,000
electricity bill, the lack of clear accountability for energy use creates challenges in
budgeting and expense-sharing between the two households. The high electricity cost
also limits their financial flexibility.
From a Science, Technology, and Society (STS) perspective, this issue
highlights the impact of technology such as electricity meters and energy-efficient
appliances on daily life and household management. Scientific advancements in
energy-efficient technologies, such as LED lighting and inverter appliances, can help
families reduce electricity consumption. Additionally, implementing better monitoring
systems, such as separate meters or smart energy trackers, can improve
consumption awareness and promote more responsible energy use.
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
Ultimately, this case emphasizes the importance of technological solutions in
addressing real-world problems. By integrating science and technology into their
household management, the De Belen family can achieve a more sustainable and fair
approach to energy consumption while improving their overall financial stability.
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
Documentation
The photo below was taken with permission from the owner of the
house.
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]
Republic of the Philippines
Commission on Higher Education
Region IV – CALABARZON
Division of Rizal
SAN MATEO MUNICIPAL COLLEGE
MEMBER’S CONTRIBUTION
Aculan, Edward
Interviewer
I. Introduction
Bautista, Ariston III
Interviewer
III. Findings and Discussion
De Belen, John Nelson
Interviewer
II. Methodology
IV. solution and recommendations
Paper editor
Paper template
Sarmiento, Ivangrouper
Interviewer
V. Conclusion
Address: Gen. Luna Avenue, San Mateo, Rizal
Telephone No: (02) 997 9070
Email Address: smmunicipalcollege@[Link]