MORE PROGRESS IN ILOILO

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. met and asked for inputs of power utilities in the province in the recent Power Utilities roundtable discussion initiated by the Iloilo Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) considering that the power sector is one of the four major fundamentals of economic growth.

“We are positioning the province for growth and investment. Under our mantra which is more progress in Iloilo. It is a movement for the resurgent, progressive, globally competitive, and resilient province of Iloilo,” Defensor said.

Present in the forum are the power utilities operating in the province of Iloilo – Iloilo Electric Cooperatives (Ileco) I, II and III, MORE Electric and Power Corp, Palm Concepcion Power Corp, and Global Business Power.

The utility companies presented their plans, current infrastructures, substation and facilities location, and energy load capacities.

LEDIP already identified the zones with huge development growth potentials such as Pavia and Sta. Barbara because of their proximity to the Iloilo International Airport and the seaport of Dumangas.

“We are positioning the province for investment, in more practicality; we want to create a growth area in the Province of Iloilo. It will be strategically located, with reference to our Iloilo International Airport with our Dumangas Port, which we intend to expand in the next few years,” Defensor stressed.

With the information provided by the power utilities, Defensor said that this will equipped his office in answering investors coming into the province.

“So that when we promote the province, we are talking to our investors in the most concrete and practical terms,” he added.

MORE THAN PREPARED

Ready to implement its expansion in the province, MORE Power presented its plans to the stakeholders.

According to Roel Castro, President and Chief Executive Officer of MORE Power, in addition to the 30/36 MVA substation in Megaworld that will serve the load requirement of Pavia, they will also put up brand new and state-of-the-art substations in Sta. Barbara and Dumangas with a load capacity of 30/36MVA and 15/25MVA, respectively.

These are the areas being considered as economic corridors of the province.

In addition, MORE Power will also install substations in Passi City, San Miguel, and Anilao with an overall dependable capacity of 130MVA.

Brand new and reliable distribution network facilities and vehicles will be installed in the 15 municipalities and Passi City within 5 years from the effectivity of the expansion law under Republic 11918.

Mr. Castro assured the governor and LEDIP that the private distribution utility is capable to implement those projects.

“We have the available financial resources to fund Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) to immediately address the growing demand,” Castro said.