‘LET THERE BE LIGHT’: MORE Power expanding beyond Iloilo City

THE DREAM of better service and reliable electricity by the people of second and fourth districts of Iloilo has now come to fruition.

MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) began preparatory physical works to comply with Republic Act (RA) 11918 that expands its service areas to 15 municipalities in Iloilo province— Pavia, Santa Barbara, Alimodian, Leon, San Miguel, New Lucena, Zarraga, Leganes,
Dumangas, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Duefias, Banate, Anilao, San Enrique, and the component city of Passi.

MORE Power president and chief executive officer Roel Z. Castro said they have started putting up posts and primary lines in Pavia.

After Pavia, they would proceed to Santa Barbara going to San Miguel, until they could fully cover all the towns in the 2nd District. Then in the 4th District’s Dumangas.

Three teams are working on the ground to expedite establishing posts with cable in Pavia.

You see a lot of posts already being laid out and mga ling Several customers have already expressed commitment to sign up and are ready to connect,” Castro told Panay News.

HOW TO APPLY FOR CONNECTION?

To apply for a connection with MORE Power, Castro said customers needed the cooperation of Iloilo Electric Cooperative 1 (ILECO 1).

Consumers have to apply for a disconnection with ILECO 1 to avoid double payments. “If not, they will be paying both, which is mall naman or indi dapar said Castro.

He added, particularly if a consumer has been a good payer to ILECO and has no remaining balance before transfer: “Sana, it would not be taken against the consumers”.

LESSER RATES, BETTER SERVICES

Castro assured that, like consumers from Iloilo City and other coverage areas of MORE Power, Pavianhons would also enjoy better services and lower rates.

“The services we have here in Iloilo City would be enhanced, and we would extend that to all consumers natin, nasaan man kayo, as long as they are covered by our franchise,” he said.

For Pavia Sangguniang Bayan Member Daniel “Dan” Fajardo II, MORE Power’s extension in the town would be a good development.

“This is really good news. We are excited not only for the people of Pavia but also for the other towns covered by the expansion,” said Fajardo.

Pavia native Robert Jade, 47, of Barangay Purok 2, expressed excitement. Currently, his electricity bill is P1,800 per month. “Daku gid ma-save kay sigurado nga mas magabarato ang kada kilowatt sang MORE Power. Parehas sa akon kay ako nagabayad sang bill namon sa balay,” said Jade.

Jade is hoping that MORE Power operations could begin this year so that he could transfer to the power distributor.

Meanwhile, 45-year-old May Joy Gesulgon of Barangay Purok 1, Pavia, said that with MORE Power coming into the picture, there is now good competition between distribution utilities.

“Maayo na gani kay may competition para may pilian man ang mga tawo kon diin ang maayo,” she said. Gesulgon pays P7,000 monthly for electricity. She also expects easier processing of documents for application with MORE Power.

For Rommel Ardales, 47, of Barangay Mali-ao, Pavia, and a vendor at the Pavia Public Market, MORE Power could give Pavia efficient services.

“Kon makasulod ang MORE Power, ang power distribution diri sa Pavia medyo mangin maayo man. Pabor sa amon nga negosyante kag sa rnga residente,” said Ardales. Ardales expects fewer power interruptions in Pavia, which would be a big help for vendors like him.

HOW IT STARTED

In a privilege speech in August 2021, Fajardo pointed out that a decrease in the cost of electricity would have a direct impact on the lives of Pavia’s residents and stakeholders such as the various businesses that have made the municipality their base of operation.

He cited as example neighboring Iloilo City which enjoyed a dramatic drop in electricity rate by MORE Power.

On July 2021, the rate of electricity in Iloilo City was reduced from P10 per kilowatt hour to P6.45 per kilowatt hour, “a big relief in this time of pandemic,” said Fajardo.

“We are adjacent to Iloilo City. It is our duty to provide our stakeholders with cheaper power to help them grow their businesses that will hopefully translate to more investments, jobs and tax revenues for the municipality of Pavia,” Fajardo said./PN