INDEED, MORE Power’s groundbreaking initiative to look for alternative sources of electricity resulting into cheap power rates for the natives of “I Am Iloilo City” has inspired neighboring local government units (LGUs), particularly the Municipality of Pavia, to explore moves that may provide the same benefit for their constituents.
Take note that the Municipality of Pavia is not included in the franchise and remit of MORE Power as it is only exclusive for “I Am Iloilo City”. But to a progressive-minded member of Pavia’s Sangguniang Bayan Daniel S. Fajardo II, it is not a stumbling block, rather an inspiration to find creative ways to provide cheap power for his constituents, especially in this time of pandemic.
Excerpts from the Sept. 1, 2021 issue of Panay News:
CHEAPER POWER SOUGHT
Pavia’s inclusion to more power service area suggested
Affordable electricity for the bustling municipality of Pavia is being sought. The town’s Sangguniang Bayan (SB) unanimously passed a resolution seeking such a possibility during its regular session yesterday.
The move came after SB member Daniel S. Fajardo II, in a privilege speech, pointed out that a decrease in the cost of electricity has a direct impact to the lives of Pavia’s residents and stakeholders such as the various businesses that have made the municipality their base of operation.
Fajardo cited as example neighboring Iloilo City which is currently enjoying a dramatic drop in electricity rate.
“Last 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.
MORE Power Electric Corp. is the sole electricity distributor in Iloilo City. On the other hand, Pavia is being served by Iloilo Electric Cooperative 1 (ILECO 1).
MORE Power now boasts of having the lowest electricity rate in the country. Pavia under ILECO 1, on the other hand, has a current rate of P10.90 per kilowatt hour.
“We are adjacent to Iloilo City. It is our duty to provide our stakeholders with cheaper power to help them grow their businesses and will hopefully translate to more investors, jobs and tax revenues for the municipality of Pavia,” said Fajardo.
“I therefore propose, with a heightened sense of urgency, that this august body passes a Resolution requesting our honorable congressman Mike Gorriceta to explore this matter and possibly make the appropriate representations to Congress or to MORE Power if this is at all possible,” said Fajardo.
SB member Jose Maria Trimañez, chairman of the Committee on Transportation, Franchises, Communications and Information Technology, backed Fajardo’s call.
He introduced a resolution requesting Gorriceta to “make representation in Congress” to “explore possibilities to open the franchise to operate another power distribution utility just like MORE Power that can give a lower kilowatt rate and efficient customer service to Pavianhons.”
SB members unanimously voted to pass a resolution for such.
Well… well, it looks like there’s a strong possibility that “Nong Moroy” will bring his brand of public service and good corporate citizen responsibilities and, of course, cheap sustainable electricity to the progressive town of Pavia.
Of course this is easier said than done as power distribution utilities are governed by what their franchises say, and franchises are awarded by Congress and can also be amended by Congress, I suppose.
So that was a good and proper move for the Sangguniang Bayan of Pavia in approving a resolution requesting their congressman, Mike Gorriceta, to explore this matter and possibly make the appropriate representations to Congress or to MORE Power.
Just on top of my head, if given the go ahead, this is a good opportunity for MORE Power business- and public relations-wise to expand its franchise coverage, and it gives the power distribution utility a stamp of approval that their brand of service is indeed beneficial to the consumers.
Bearing in mind that after almost a hundred years, it is only MORE Power that was able to significantly reduce the rate of electricity in “I Am Iloilo City” to what is the lowest in the entire country.
It is about time that the good citizens of Pavia also experience this.
And I leave you with these lines from Sangguniang Bayan member Daniel S. Fajardo II of Pavia: “Electricity is a prime commodity. All of us live with it. The decrease of its cost has a direct impact to the lives of our constituents.” (brotherlouie16@gmail.com)/PN
