ILOILO City – Iloilo 1st District’s Cong. Janette Garin has formally filed House Bill No. 6292, seeking to expand the franchise of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) to seven municipalities in the district — Igbaras, Tubungan, Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Miag-ao, and San Joaquin.
The measure was submitted on Monday, November 24, 2025, to the Bills and Index Service office of the House of Representatives.
In her explanatory note, Garin said the bill seeks to amend specific provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 11212, as amended by RA No. 11918, which currently grants MORE Power the authority to operate as a distribution utility in Iloilo City and in several municipalities across the 2nd and 4th districts of the province, including Passi City.
Garin emphasized that the proposed expansion will allow MORE Power “to establish, operate, and maintain, for commercial purposes and in the public interest, a distribution system for the conveyance of electric power to end users in the 1st District.”
Expanding a Proven Model of Service
The congresswoman highlighted the company’s performance since taking over the Iloilo City distribution system five and a half years ago.
“In that short period, MORE Power has reduced electric rates in Iloilo City from among the highest in the country to among the lowest,” she noted.
Service coverage also expanded significantly — from 63,000 customers to 101,000 — alongside a sustained rehabilitation of what Garin described as “aging and decrepit” facilities inherited from the previous operator.
“We believe that such service, marked by high standards and proven to be fast, reliable, responsive, modern, and forward-looking, should also be made available to Ilonggos living outside Iloilo City,” she said.
Garin added that the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) recently granted MORE Power a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) for its expanded franchise areas in Passi City and the municipalities of Alimodian, Leganes, Leon, New Lucena, Pavia, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, Anilao, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Dumangas, and San Enrique.
Ensuring Consumer Choice
The lawmaker acknowledged that the towns in the 1st District are currently served by Iloilo Electric Cooperative I (ILECO I), but stressed that competition is allowed — and even encouraged — under the Constitution.
“The Constitution is clear: no franchise for a public utility shall be exclusive in character,” Garin said, citing Section 11, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution.
She added: “Public interest will be better served if we allow competition that gives Ilonggos in the 1st District a choice — to access modern, dependable, affordable, and efficient electric distribution services already being enjoyed by Iloilo City residents. It is the right time to do this, and to continue the progress of Iloilo City and to jump-start the progress in the nearby parts of Iloilo Province.”
Legal Basis and Local Support
Garin also underscored the Supreme Court’s affirmation of both RA 11212 and RA 11918, upholding their validity and recognizing that the expansion of MORE Power’s franchise was anchored on the promotion of the common good.
Moreover, she said that the towns in the 1st District have passed resolutions urging her office to push for legislation that would place them under MORE Power’s franchise area.
According to Garin, the request reflects the desire of local leaders and residents to benefit from the “fast, reliable, responsive, modern, and forward-looking services” that MORE Power is known for./PN
