The House of Representatives approved a measure to expand the franchise area of More Electric and Power Corp. into several municipalities in Iloilo province, moving the billionaire Enrique Razon-backed utility closer to a significant suburban buildup.

Lawmakers voted 247-4 to pass House Bill 7647 on its third and final reading, sending the legislation to the Senate for further deliberation. The bill seeks to broaden MORE Power’s reach beyond its current stronghold in Iloilo City to include the municipalities of Alimodian, Leganes, Leon, New Lucena, Pavia, Santa Barbara, and Zarraga.

The expansion aims to address long-standing service gaps and high electricity costs in these neighboring jurisdictions.

The measure, spearheaded by Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin, gained traction following formal requests from local government units seeking an alternative to existing cooperatives.

Under the proposed law, MORE Power would be authorized to modernize aging infrastructure and integrate these towns into its digitalized distribution network. Supporters of the bill argue that the entry of a private player with greater capital expenditure capacity will lower rates and improve reliability for residential and industrial consumers alike.

The House Committee on Legislative Franchises, chaired by Representative Jeffrey Ferrer, endorsed the proposal after reviewing the company’s performance since it took over Iloilo City’s distribution system in 2020. That transition followed a high-profile legal battle over the assets of the previous provider, Panay Electric Co., and marked a shift toward more aggressive private investment in the region’s power sector.

Since its entry, MORE Power has focused on reducing system losses and upgrading substations, which proponents say has led to a more stable grid.

Expansion into the neighboring towns would require MORE Power to navigate the existing service areas of the Iloilo Electric Cooperatives. While the bill represents a push for privatization and competition, it also reflects a growing trend in the Philippine energy landscape where private firms seek to fill service voids left by cash-strapped cooperatives.

If the Senate concurs and the bill is signed into law, the company is expected to initiate a phased rollout of its services to ensure a seamless transition for the thousands of new customers. This expansion could serve as a blueprint for other private utilities looking to scale operations outside of major urban hubs.