City Hall backs crackdown on ‘jumpers’

The Iloilo City government threw its support to the ongoing crackdown on power thieves or jumpers launched by distribution utility MORE Power.

The crackdown started Monday in Arevalo district which resulted in the apprehension of over a thousand “jumper cables” as of yesterday’s count.

In his regular press conference, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said the campaign against illicit electrical connections will eventually have a positive impact on the city and residents.

Treñas cited the hazards caused by jumpers, particularly fires.

“Most of the time, ang sunog nagahalin sa (fires happen due to) illegal connections. Kadako gid ang mabulig sina (it will do much) in preventing the onset of fires.”

MORE Power earlier claimed that approximately 30,000 jumpers, or around 28 percent of the total connections, abound the city’s distribution system.

Apart from the perpetrators avoiding payment for electricity, jumpers are being blamed for feeder overloads that cause brownouts and fires.

Even the perpetrators are not spared from burns, electrocution, and even death when they illegally connect to the power lines.

Jumpers also lead to massive economic losses amounting to millions of pesos per month which legitimate power consumers pay for under the so-called “systems losses”.

To help MORE Power and households who want to have legitimate connections, Treñas said the city government will do its share by hastening the application for permits.

“I think ginapahapos na subong ang pagkuha sang connection sa MORE (the process of getting connected to MORE is already being simplified). On our part, we will try to do our best nga padasigon ta man ang pagkuha sang (to fast track the process of getting) permits,” he said.

“Kabay pa nga makakuha lang ang tanan sang permits para ma-legalize ang tanan (I hope everyone gets the necessary permits so that everything will soon be legalized),” Treñas added. (ERS)