Iloilo province will experience higher electricity rates as a result of the decision of the House of Representatives to expand the franchise coverage of the MORE Electric and Power Corporation to 16 more localities, thus, paving the way for the buildup of a power sector monopoly in Panay island.
Members of the so-called ‘power bloc’ in the Lower House aired these claims as they registered their “no” votes to the third and final reading approval of House Bill 10306 that expands MORE’s legislative franchise.
.Their call for a rejection of the measure proved futile as the Lower House registered a vote of 182 affirmative and 10 negative for the passage of the controversial measure.
Aside from the power bloc solons, members of the Makabayan bloc also rejected the legislative franchise measure that amended MORE’s existing license that Congress granted just three years ago.
In 2018, Congress passed the now Republic Act 11212 which grants MORE legislative franchise to operate in Iloilo City, triggering the filing of a case by the Panay Electric Company which was still operating in the area.
Reps. Presley De Jesus (PHILRECA); Godofredo Guya (RECOBODA); Sergio Dagooc (APEC Partylist) and Adriano Ebcas (Ako Padayon) lamented the decision of the majority to favor MORE, saying that the decision invites another string of legal action from existing electric cooperatives whose areas of coverage are expected to be taken over by the private firm.
In explaining her ‘no’ vote, Gabriela Partylist Rep. Arlene Brosas said MORE’s bid to monopolize the power sector in Panay island is quite noticeable. “Parang hindi pa sapat sa kanila ang assets ng Panay Electric Company. Ang panawagan ng Iloilo ay para sa efficient and lower power cost ngunit sa ilalim ng MORE ay madalas pa rin ang brownout (It seems that they are not contented with the assets of Panay Electric Company. The call of Iloilo is for efficient and lower power cost but under MORe brownouts have become frequent),” stated Brosas.
De Jesus said the areas of operation granted under HB 10306 is already being covered by three electric cooperatives - Iloilo I, Iloilo II and Iloilo III.
“This representation would like to reiterate that approving the expansion of MORE’s franchise where there is already an existing power distributor is a violation of Section 4 of the EPIRA Law that states that the existing distribution facility has the exclusive authority to operate in their current areas,” said De Jesus.
Dagooc, Ebcas and Guya shared the same opinion as they slammed the franchise amendment.
They also decried MORE’s claim of lower power cost as “canard” as they pointed out that being a private corporation, its main purpose is to recover its investments and profit from it.
Dagooc said HB 10306 violates the rights of the member of existing electric cooperatives or the the consumer-owners who have established the power service in the past 50 years through their own money and hardwork.