IT GOES without saying that “I Am Iloilo City’s” — and soon Iloilo Province’s — sole power distribution utility, MORE Electric and Power Corporation, more popularly known as MORE Power, is doing far more than simply keeping the lights on or providing steady, reliable, and affordable electricity.
MORE Power is also involved in projects ranging from vegetable farming to fish fingerling initiatives. But for now, let’s talk about vegetables — particularly the annual Harvest Festival in “I Am Iloilo City.”
Hmmm… is MORE Power now promoting a vegetarian or plant-based lifestyle?
Seriously, though, this is what we are talking about: recently, more than 200 kilograms of fresh vegetables were harvested during the Harvest Festival in Barangay San Isidro, Jaro district, marking another successful collaboration between local farmers and private sector partners.
The activity is one of the programs of Mayor Raisa Treñas, spearheaded by the Iloilo City Agriculturist Office and the Tacas San Isidro Farmers Association in partnership with MORE Power.
In all, a total of 204.9 kilograms of assorted vegetables were harvested during the event, including string beans, radish, okra, corn, squash, watermelon, bananas, melon, tomatoes, and other crops.
Employees of MORE Power participated alongside members of the farmers’ association in harvesting the crops. The vegetables were then immediately transported to the company’s office, where they were sold to employees — demonstrating a direct farm-to-market approach.
As additional support for the Harvest Festival, members of the Tacas San Isidro Farmers Association received 160 packs of seeds and 10 sacks of fertilizer from MORE Power, which will be used for their next planting cycle.
Aside from supporting this annual event, MORE Power also helped organize the first-ever Iloilo City Farmers Congress.
As I was saying, MORE Power is doing more than just keeping the lights on — they are also helping grow vegetables and much more, pun intended, of course.
And that brings us to the rise of a trusted energy provider in the Visayas.
The story began in “I Am Iloilo City” in 2020, when MORE Power took over a struggling distribution system and began rebuilding it from the ground up.
When MORE Power assumed operations, it inherited a system with more than 30 percent system loss — a reflection of inefficiency, outdated infrastructure, and years of underinvestment.
According to MORE Power president and chief executive officer Roel Z. Castro, “the challenge was both technical and transformative. Electricity isn’t just a commodity; it is an enabler.
“When done right, a well-run distribution utility can attract investments, unlock economic potential, and improve the lives of the people in the communities it serves.”
In the five years since it started operations, the company has invested heavily — more than P3 billion — in upgrading substations, modernizing systems, and strengthening its network.
The results have indeed been dramatic: system loss was reduced to around 5.50 percent, the frequency of power interruptions dropped by 87.6 percent, interruption duration decreased by 87.4 percent, and the customer base expanded from 60,000 to more than 107,000.
These are not just incremental improvements but transformational changes.
Reliable electricity did more than keep the lights on — it powered growth.
Businesses expanded. Investors gained confidence. Iloilo City climbed to fifth place among highly urbanized cities in the 2024 competitiveness rankings.
The success of MORE Power became the foundation for Primelectric Holdings Inc., established in 2023 as a catalyst for transformative energy solutions — not just as a business, but as a partner in national development.
From Iloilo to Negros to Bohol, a pattern has emerged — one defined by investment, innovation, and measurable results.
At its core, the growth of Primelectric is not just about expansion — it is about impact.
As Castro said, “We don’t approach expansion as a purely commercial exercise. We go where we are needed most and where we can make the biggest difference.”
From rebuilding trust in Iloilo to modernizing systems in Negros and enhancing service in Bohol, the company’s footprint continues to grow — grounded in a single principle:
That electricity, when done right, can change lives.
At the end of the day, electricity is more than power — it is progress. /PN
