MIAG-AO, Iloilo — Acting on the request of Mayor Richard Garin, the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Miag-ao passed a resolution urging 1st District Rep. Janette Garin to sponsor legislation that would include the municipality in the franchise area of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power).
Mayor Garin acknowledged the fundamental right of residents and consumers to have fair and competitive access to reliable and affordable electricity.
In Resolution No. B2025-010, unanimously adopted during the council’s second regular session on July 15, 2025, the SB appealed to Rep. Garin to sponsor or author a measure amending Republic Act (RA) No. 11918 to bring Miag-ao — currently under the service area of Iloilo I Electric Cooperative (ILECO I) — within the coverage of MORE Power’s expanded franchise.
The resolution was sponsored by SB member Jun Carlu Napulan and co-authored by all council members. It underscored that several local government units (LGUs) and congressional representatives had, as early as three years ago, backed the expansion of MORE Power’s franchise due to public clamor for better electric service.
Mayor Garin highlights the importance of equitable access to modern energy services as a cornerstone for progress.
“Residents and consumers of the 1st District of Iloilo Province are entitled to fair and competitive access to reliable and affordable electricity services,” the resolution stated. “It is the collective desire of the constituents to benefit from the same improved quality of service currently enjoyed by consumers in areas already served by MORE Power.”
While RA 11918, signed into law in 2022, authorized MORE Power to expand its operations to 15 Iloilo towns and one component city (Alimodian, Anilao, Banate, Barotac Nuevo, Dingle, Dueñas, Dumangas, Leganes, Leon, New Lucena, Pavia, San Enrique, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Zarraga, and Passi City), the 1st District’s municipalities were left out due to the active legal opposition of ILECO I. The cooperative had argued that such inclusion infringed on its existing franchise and service area.
However, the SB Resolution noted that the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of RA 11918, declaring that electric cooperatives do not hold exclusive franchises, effectively removing legal roadblocks to further expansion.
For his part, Mayor Garin emphasizes that this expansion is not merely a business matter but a crucial step toward uplifting the living standards and opportunities for the people of the 1st District.
The Miag-ao council cited observations that MORE Power offers “significantly lower residential electricity rates and generation charges” than ILECO I, along with “more efficient and reliable customer service, modern infrastructure, and quicker response times.”
“The process began when we received a letter from Bantay Bayan 101. They submitted a request. The letter was sent to Mayor Richard Garin’s office and subsequently forwarded to the legislative branch. As chairman of the committee on Public Utilities, Information, and Communication, we took action on it,” Napulan told Panay News yesterday.
“Gin tun-an ta… kon necessary gid man bala, kag para may option ang Miag-aohanon kon diin gid man sa duha nga power or electricity providers may benepisyo, maka-benefit ang pamuluyo,” said Napulan.
The SB eventually approved the resolution.
According to a post in the Facebook page Miag-ao InfoCen, the social media public information platform of the Municipality of Miag-ao, “the driving premise behind this initiative is the collective aspiration of the constituents to enjoy the same improved quality of electrical service currently available in areas already served by MORE Power.”
“By broadening the franchise,” the Miag-ao InfoCen added, “the community aims to benefit from enhanced infrastructure, greater service reliability, and competitive pricing, which will contribute significantly to their economic development and day-to-day well-being.”
Copies of the resolution were also forwarded to Congresswoman Garin, the Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), and other relevant agencies.
Congresswoman Garin could not be reached for comment as of this writing, too./PN
