Illegal power connections were allowed to proliferate in Iloilo City to benefit alleged syndicates who ran the huge electricity pilferage operation, according to a member of the House of Representatives.
Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda expressed support to the move of Iloilo Mayor Geronimo Treñas and the new distribution utility More Electric and Power Corp. to go after pilferers of electricity.
MORE Power’s technical analysis showed there could be as many as 30,000 illegal power connections that existed in the city especially under the old utility Panay Electric Co.
“Electricity pilferage has become a practice because the violators have gotten away with their crime but this should be put to a stop,” the lawmaker said.
She appealed to Iloilo residents to help stop the said illegal operations by pointing to authorities where illegal power connections exist or apply for an electricity connection with MORE Power.
Baronda said consumers were paying for the cost of electricity stolen from the estimated 30,000 illegal connections that proliferated under the old utility.
“This is not fair. I urge the Ilonggos to stop this electricity pilferage,” Baronda said.
“Let us protect our interest. Let us not allow ourselves to pay for the electricity consumed by those who steal power through the systems loss. Let us report those who steal electricity instead of condoning the pilferers,” she said.
She said MORE Power made it easier for consumers to apply for their own meter account and teamed up with the city government under its iKONEK Program.
MORE Power president Roel Castro said the city government also made it easy for Iloilo consumers to secure the necessary documents and safety inspection certificates required by law such as the certificate of residency, government ID, oath of undertaking of connection and meter and electrical safety inspection reports.
Castro said the illegal connections overload the city’s power distribution system while increasing the cost of electricity to paying customers.
"Ilonggos had to pay for the electricity pilfered from such illegal connection for decades. Illegal connections do not just burden legitimate consumers who pay for stolen electricity but it also takes toll on the system which results in overloading," Castro said.
He said MORE Power already determined who were behind the “organized business” of electricity pilferage in Iloilo City.
MORE Power and the city government target to reduce the estimated 30,000 illegal power connections by half this year, Castro said.