Bringing MORE to ex-jumpers’ lives

Punong Barangay Edwin Dumio of South Baluarte in Molo, Iloilo City heaved a sigh of relief after more than 80 households in their community now have their electric meters and connection with MORE Electric and Power Corp., the distribution utility in the city.

There were times when Dumio had sleepless nights as fires occur in their barangay from time to time, mostly due to jumpers or illegal connections to secondary distribution lines.

But with the Iloilo City government collaborating with MORE Power in facilitating the connection applications of former jumpers, the barangay has minimized fire hazards in the community.
“Dako gid ang amon kalipay bangud isa sa mga dako nga problema ang nasolbar na, kag amo na ang hazard sang sunog nga hatod sang illegal connections,” Dumio said.
The village chief most of the jumpers are informal settlers or the so-called squatters.

“Dako gid ang amon pasalamat sa MORE bangud ginbuligan gid nila ang akon mga pumuluyo kapin pa ang mga informal settlers. Thank you MORE Power for bringing more to life sa amon barangay,” he added.
South Baluarte was among the first barangays that MORE Power visited in May 2020 to inspect illegal connections.

The inspection, which is part of the distribution utility’s I-Konek project, found out that more than half of 400 households don’t have their meters.

Instead of suing the jumpers, MORE Power rolled out I-Konek project which encouraged them to apply for connection meters with the help of the City government.

MORE Power brought a team that examined and approved the papers of the applicants. The city and barangay officials helped by streamlining and providing the required papers.
The DU received 191 applications and 82 households now have their meters after two weeks.
One of the applicants, Marilou Catalan, said they have always wanted to have their meter but they found it hard to comply with the requirements of the previous distribution utility like proof of land ownership.

“Ginapangayuan pa nila kami sang proof of land ownership. Paano namon ina mahatag kay naga-iskwat man lang kami di? Kundi majumper na lang kami! Nagapasalamat gid kami sa MORE kay wala gid nila kami ginpabayaan hasta nga mapasigahan na kami,” Catalan said.
Corazon Tan was elated after having her meter installed.

“Tawhay na subong amon nga pag-ginawi sa panimalay bangud may kuryente na kami,” Tan said.

Jovey Del Castillo was surprised when MORE Power installed their meter a week after submitting his application.

“Wala na kami kulba subong nga masunugan bangud nabutang na sa hipid ang mga kuryente kag wala na sang naga-jumper,” Del Castillo said.