INDEED, this old saying has consistently proven true — whether in sports, business, or life itself. Simply put, for any undertaking to succeed, you must work for it. As they say, nothing is free; everything comes with a price.
This is especially true for change — specifically, change for the better. For meaningful transformation to happen, the old must be replaced with the new.
Change has certainly come to “I Am Iloilo City,” and it began five years ago. Today, it continues to unfold — all for the benefit of Ilonggos, aiming to uplift their quality of life and improve their economic situation.
And here’s a prime example:
A week ago, Iloilo City took a significant step toward a more reliable and robust power grid with the successful load transfer to a newly commissioned 100 Megavolt Amperes (MVA) transformer at the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) Iloilo City substation.
This major upgrade — a collaboration between NGCP and MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power) — will significantly enhance the grid’s capacity to meet Iloilo City’s growing energy demands over the next three to four years.
It’s important to note that MORE Power has long advocated for expanding grid capacity to support Iloilo City’s development. This upgrade marks a crucial step toward securing a brighter, more dynamic future.
As MORE Power President and CEO Roel Castro put it, “This is a significant step forward in ensuring a reliable and robust power grid for Iloilo City. This upgrade will provide the necessary capacity to support the city’s growth and attract new investments.”
The upgrade will also directly benefit MORE Power’s mobile substation operations, particularly those in Megaworld and Jaro. With the new 100MVA transformer, NGCP’s substation capacity doubles — from 50MVA to 100MVA — marking a major milestone toward achieving MORE Power’s goal of a 3x100MVA system.
NGCP remains committed to further enhancing the grid’s capacity. In the coming months, it plans to upgrade another power transformer serving MORE Power’s substations. By the end of the year, the total capacity is expected to reach 2x100MVA, and by next year, the full target of 3x100MVA.
This collaborative effort between MORE Power and NGCP highlights a shared commitment to ensuring a reliable and sustainable power supply for Iloilo City. The increased capacity will not only benefit consumers but also fuel the city’s economic growth and development.
“This is a major milestone in our efforts to improve the power infrastructure of Iloilo City. We are grateful to NGCP for their commitment to this project, which benefits MORE Power and the entire city. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. It shows that we are all working together to build a brighter future for Iloilo City,” Castro further emphasized.
Why do I bring up “no pain, no gain”? Because achieving this major facility upgrade required a necessary sacrifice — a 12-hour power interruption in areas served by the affected substations.
But the reward for that temporary inconvenience is well worth it: a more reliable, higher-capacity power grid that supports Iloilo City’s continued growth.
Moving on, elections are just around the corner. In preparation, MORE Power and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) outlining their collaborative efforts to ensure a reliable power supply during the upcoming elections.
I suppose I need not elaborate on Comelec’s role — to ensure clean, honest, and credible elections.
For its part, MORE Power will ensure the reliability of its distribution system, conduct preventative maintenance, and provide technical support to election centers.
MORE Power will also conduct thorough inspections and maintenance of its power lines and equipment to guarantee everything is ready come election day.
Additionally, the company will provide dedicated support to Comelec officials, assigning a representative to be stationed at Comelec offices on Election Day itself.
Further strengthening its support, MORE Power has allowed Comelec to include information leaflets in the monthly Statements of Account distributed to over 100,000 consumers in Iloilo City.
Well played, indeed./PN
