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Crackdown against electricity pilferage gains ground in Iloilo City

Philippines | Luzon

Crackdown against electricity pilferage gains ground in Iloilo City

By Tara Yap

ILOILO CITY—The campaign against electricity pilferage in this city is gaining ground as additional illegal connectors, more popularly known as “jumpers”, are choosing to apply for legitimate connection with new power distributor MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power).

This was after MORE Power was able to cut 4,000 illegal connections across 42 barangays (villages) in the city recently.

This led to 1,5000 applicants wanting to avail of “iKonek”, MORE Power’s program which makes it easier for local residents engaged in electricity pilferage to legally apply for an electric meter.

MORE Power’s iKonek Chief Ariel Castañeda said the process has been streamlined for applicants including the processing of necessary documents from the Iloilo City Engineer’s Office.

Castañeda pointed out that applicants can have an electric meter installed even if they only pay a down payment of P1,000.

The crackdown came after engineering firm MIESCOR Corp. found in a study that the city’s electricity distribution network has an estimated 30,000 illegal connections during the tenure of Panay Electric Co. (PECO), the former sole power distributor in the city.

Meanwhile, six violators are currently facing cases of violation of Republic Act No. 7832 or the Anti-Pilferage of Electricity and Theft Act.

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