MORE Power eyes ‘model barangays’

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

From a jumper “hotspot” to a model barangay.

This is the plan of Iloilo City distribution utility MORE Electric and Power Corp. for Barangay San Pedro in Molo district after the firm discovered an alleged jumper-reseller or power thief in the area two weeks ago.

No less than MORE Power president and COO Roel Castro visited the village a week ago for a dialogue with barangay officials headed by Punong Barangay Karl John Lapascua.

Castro saw the situation at the barangay, especially the tangled wires, leaning distribution poles, and old meters.

Castro assured that MORE Power will address the problems he saw in the area, but he sought the help of barangay officials to help in the campaign against power pilferers.

“MORE Power will make it as one of the model barangays that will make a complete turnaround to becoming a Zero Jumper area with the help of barangay officials,” he added.

Castro said they will install additional poles and transformers in San Pedro to keep up with the load demand and to ensure that no accidental electrocution or fires will occur due to overloading of the lines.

“All I ask from our barangay officials is to help us in our campaign against power pilferers because all our investments will be wasted if power thieves abound their area. The legitimate consumers will partly shoulder stolen electricity, so useless ang efforts natin pag ganun,” Castro said.

Punong Barangay Lapascua said he is happy with the commitment of MORE Power to improve the barangay’s distribution system.

The local officials assured that they will convince other residents who lack legitimate connections to apply for their lines and meters to discourage pilferage.

Last Nov 27, 2020, MORE Power personnel discovered an alleged jumper-reseller at San Pedro, Molo.

According to a report from MORE Power, the alleged mastermind is Dionisio Oton of San Pedro village.

The report also claimed that Oton illegally tapped to MORE Power’s distribution line and supplied electricity to a car repair shop of Erene Dioso, a videoke bar and an ukay-ukay or second-hand clothing store owned by Mina Jama, a carwash shop by Almager Jama, and a vehicle emission testing center owned by Leganes Mayor Vicente Jaen III.

The owners of the said establishments pointed to Dionisio Oton as the one who tapped to the secondary distribution then supplied electricity to their businesses. They were charged P15 per kilowatt-hour which was based on meters that Oton installed in their businesses.

Mayor Jaen admitted that they connected to Oton’s distribution line and meter with the assurance that the connection was legitimate. He said he will cooperate with MORE Power in whatever legal action it will take against Oton.

MORE Power will file charges against the suspect for violating Republic Act 7832 (Anti-electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act of 1994). Violators face jail time and hefty penalty if proven guilty.

The electrical lines the suspects used were confiscated to be used as evidence in the cases to be filed.

The operation was an offshoot of MORE Power’s incentive program “Jumper Mo, Noche Buena Ko,” which seeks to apprehend power thieves through tips from concerned citizens.