ILOILO – Second District’s Cong. Michael Gorriceta is bringing the clamor of some local government units (LGUs) here to have better power services to Congress.
Three towns – Pavia, Leganes and Dumangas – through their respective Sangguniang Bayans (SB) have so far passed resolutions seeking their possible inclusion to the service area of MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power), the power distributor of neighboring Iloilo City.
“Ang clamor ara na gid kag bilang representante, ginasaligan sang pumoluyo, kinanglan ko gid ina ipalab-ot sa Kongreso. Role ko bilang representative nga pamatian sila regardless kon ano ang resulta,” said Gorriceta over RMN Iloilo.
The call first sprouted in Pavia town after SB member Dan S. Fajardo II delivered a privilege speech calling for a cheaper power rate for residents there. He suggested Pavia’s inclusion to the service area of MORE Power.
Pavia is being served by the Iloilo Electric Cooperative (ILECO) 1.
Leganes, also under ILECO 1, and Dumangas, under ILECO 2, followed suit.
The SB of Oton also passed a resolution but they only requested ILECO 1 to reduce its power rate. SB members wanted ILECO 1’s current rate of P10.90 per kilowatt hour slashed to P6.45 per kilowatt hour similar to MORE Power. They w ere not keen on seeking an expansion of MORE Power’s service to Oton.
According to Gorriceta, who was a former mayor of Pavia, once he receives the respective resolutions of the towns, he will draft a House Bill (HB) and submit it to the Lower House, specifically to the Bills and Indexes wherein its format will be reviewed and for HB number assignment.
Gorriceta said his would-be proposed bill will most likely be referred to the Committee on Franchises or Committee on Energy or joint committees once passed the first reading.
If already on the second reading, all concerned government agencies such Energy Regulatory Commission, National Electrification Administration, the concerned electric cooperatives, and MORE Power, among others will be invited to a hearing.
Meanwhile, the SB of Dumangas in its passed resolution requested 4th District’s Cong. Braeden John Biron to explore in Congress the possibility of including – not just Dumangas but other towns in the 4th District – to the service area of MORE Power./PN
