SC urged to consider consumers’ plight in power franchise case

MANILA, Philippines — Multisectoral groups in Iloilo City have appealed to the Supreme Court to take into consideration the plight of the 65,000 customers who will be directly impacted by its decision on the pending power franchise case in the city.

The Iloilo Economic Development Foundation Inc. (IEDF) and Western Visayas Transport Cooperative (WVTC), the city’s biggest transport group, said they are hopeful the High Court, as the final arbiter on the issue, would decide based on the performance of the two distribution utilities contesting the power franchise for the city – current holder More Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and former distributor Panay Electric Co. (PECO).

WVTC general manager Halley Alcarde said MORE Power has proven itself capable to manage the distribution system of Iloilo City even if it has only been operating for six months.

MORE Power now holds the legislative franchise to operate the electricity distribution system of Iloilo City. It was also granted a business permit by the Iloilo City government and Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) but PECO continues to question the takeover of its business operations, saying it was unconstitutional.

“We know that in terms of legal issues, the magistrates look at the rule of law but we hope they can also consider the appeal of the consumers and prioritize it and really look at the situation in Iloilo City and the huge difference in power supply in Iloilo. We were relieved when our electricity problems were resolved and hopefully this is what the SC will really look into,” Alcarde said.

Francis Gentoral, executive director of IEDF, said MORE Power has a strong sense of accountability and transparency by providing the right service to consumers even though it is still on the transition phase.

Gentoral said IEDF, which has been actively wooing investors to Iloilo City, has noted a marked improvement in the status of power supply under MORE Power.

MORE Power president Roel Castro earlier said it would take three years to modernize Iloilo City’s distribution system, and the company has committed to spend P1.8 billion for this purpose.

MORE Power has since upgraded 100 distribution transformers, replaced 100 electric poles and fixed 97 hotspot connectors, replaced switchboards at transformers in all five substations and replaced electric meters of around 15,000 residents.