QUITE possibly, a majority of the residents of “I Am Iloilo City” are unaware that their sole power distribution utility, MORE Electric and Power Corporation, or MORE Power, has just saved the city from what could have been a major power disaster — one that might have literally plunged it into darkness.
Recently, the Visayas grid experienced seven power interruptions between June 2 and June 19. The Institute of Contemporary Economics (ICE) described these incidents as “not ordinary local outages” but major grid security events brought about by thin reserve margins, large forced power plant outages, and transmission constraints.
The situation reached its most critical point on June 10, when reserve margins in the Visayas grid dropped to what the report described as a “functionally negligible” eight megawatts (MW) against a peak demand of 2,421 MW. This prompted the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to implement rolling blackouts through Manual Load Dropping (MLD).
Of course, MORE Power could not prevent generation shortages affecting the national grid. However, its automated distribution network enabled operators to carry out feeder selection, load rotation, and service restoration more efficiently, helping ensure uninterrupted power to hospitals, schools, and other critical facilities.
According to the ICE, MORE Power’s P2.65-billion modernization program played a crucial role in cushioning Iloilo City from the worst effects of the power crisis that rattled the Visayas over the past two months. The utility’s infrastructure upgrades enabled the city’s distribution system to better withstand a series of grid-stress events between May and June 2026.
“A modern power system is not one that merely restores service after interruption. It is one built with enough redundancy, automation, reserve capacity and coordination to prevent avoidable curtailment,” ICE stated.
Had this happened six years ago, when “I Am Iloilo City” was still being served by that obsolete and dilapidated power distribution utility — whose name I need not mention — the city would most likely have been plunged into total darkness, with little hope of an immediate recovery.
Since freeing the city from the yoke of that old monopoly, MORE Power has invested billions of pesos in rehabilitating the distribution system. The company has reduced distribution losses from nearly 30 percent to just 4.75 percent while maintaining a residential electricity rate of P11.13 per kilowatt-hour, one of the lowest in the country.
That remarkable performance has further strengthened MORE Power’s case for expanding beyond Iloilo City. The Senate is now considering proposals to extend the utility’s franchise to neighboring municipalities, especially as power demand across Panay Island is projected to grow by an estimated compounded annual rate of 18.5 percent.
Indeed, “One Iloilo, One Rate, One Service” may well be the next best thing to happen to the province.
Now, let us shift to MORE Power’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. Once again, the utility demonstrated that its mission extends far beyond delivering reliable electricity when 145 employees and environmental volunteers participated in Brigada Eskwela 2026, the Department of Education’s annual nationwide school-preparation campaign.
The participating schools included Nabitasan Integrated School, Jaro National High School, Ramon Avanceña National High School, Judith Lazarraga Tiongco Memorial School, Sambag Elementary School, Molo I Elementary School, and Iloilo National High School. At five of these schools, MORE Power volunteers collected numerous sacks of garbage and cleared potential hazards around electrical facilities. Molo I Elementary School and Iloilo National High School also received donations of cleaning materials and school supplies to help teachers and students prepare for the opening of classes.
Beyond the cleanup activities, MORE Power also prioritized electrical safety within school campuses. Its technicians conducted routine inspections of electrical wiring and equipment to minimize potential risks to students and school personnel. They likewise coordinated with school administrators on necessary repairs and preventive maintenance measures.
As MORE Power president and chief executive officer Roel Castro aptly put it, “This is community care in action.”/PN
