REALLY, how is that even remotely possible when CSR stands for Corporate Social Responsibility while MORE refers to MORE Electric and Power Corporation (a.k.a. MORE Power), the sole power distribution utility of “I Am Iloilo City”?
Relax—it’s just a figure of speech, not to be taken literally, but rather to capture why MORE Power has become synonymous with Corporate Social Responsibility.
CSR, after all, is the ethical commitment of a company to integrate social and environmental concerns into its operations and stakeholder interactions in order to make a meaningful impact on society.
Why do I say that one company that clearly takes CSR seriously is MORE Power? Its commitment to sustainability and green initiatives demonstrates a genuine dedication to securing a greener future for Iloilo City.
Needless to say, we won’t even dwell on the fact that MORE Power provides Iloilo City residents with the lowest electricity rates in the country—and continues to maintain reasonable rates despite geopolitical upheavals driving up global energy costs.
Nor will we overly emphasize its efforts to provide water and mobile charging stations in areas affected by scheduled and necessary power interruptions.
But it is worth highlighting what started five years ago and has since become an annual tradition: MORE Power’s consistent support for charitable organizations, spreading kindness and love. The company channels its efforts toward institutions that improve lives through education, healthcare, and essential services.
Among the beneficiaries of MORE Power’s generosity are the Jaro Archdiocesan Social Action Center, St. Anne Parish–Molo, Asilo de Molo, Colegio de San Jose, St. Clement’s Parish Church, Assumption Iloilo, Carmelite Missionary–Jaro, Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Red Cross Iloilo, and St. Dominic.
Just recently, MORE Power’s eco-warriors joined Iloilo’s top leaders in planting over 2,000 bamboo and coffee saplings at the Maasin Watershed Forest Reserve.
As MORE Power president and CEO Roel Castro explained:
“We’re not just planting trees at the Maasin Watershed; we’re also investing in a greener, more sustainable future for Iloilo. This project shows MORE Power’s commitment to protecting our resources, supporting livelihoods, and making sure that the power we deliver is matched by the care we give to the environment that supports us all.”
On the same day, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for a ₱25-million multipurpose facility and eco-trail at the Maasin Watershed Forest, part of the ₱325-million Maasin Eco-Park project. This initiative underscores MORE Power’s belief that protecting the environment is not just corporate responsibility—it is a shared duty to future generations.
Earlier, on July 30, about a hundred employees of MORE Power, together with the company’s Guardians of the Environment, planted 1,000 mangrove saplings along Sunset Boulevard in observance of World Mangrove Day. This project, undertaken in partnership with the Iloilo City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO), is expected to deliver lasting ecological benefits to the community.
In another effort, MORE Power’s eco-warriors teamed up with RMN Iloilo and the Iloilo City Agriculturist Office to release 2,500 fingerlings of pompano, seabass, and rabbitfish into the Iloilo River as part of the annual RMN River Festival.
Alongside these green efforts, MORE Power has also managed to “plant” something else—new electric poles and transformers across Iloilo City. From just 492 poles in 2020, the number has grown to more than 6,000 in 2024, along with 887 new transformers installed to reinforce the city’s power distribution system and ensure more reliable electricity.
These infrastructure improvements are part of ongoing efforts to deliver more resilient power to every home and business in the city.
As I have often said, there’s more to MORE Power than simply providing steady, reliable, and affordable electricity. Its CSR commitments and outreach programs foster unity, strengthen community ties, and bring joy to Iloilo by nurturing hope and resilience.
Now, just imagine the benefits CSR could bring if “One Iloilo, One Rate, One Provider” were truly achieved./PN
