By Francis Allan L. Angelo and Dolly Yasa
ILOILO CITY / BACOLOD CITY — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has partnered with utility providers MORE Electric and Power Corp. (MORE Power) and Negros Electric and Power Corp. (Negros Power) to ensure uninterrupted electricity and technical support during the 2025 National and Local Elections.
Separate Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) were signed on April 7 between COMELEC and the respective power distributors, outlining their joint responsibilities to guarantee reliable power service before, during, and after the polls.
In Iloilo City, MORE Power committed to perform preventive maintenance and ensure the stability of its distribution network to support all election-related activities.
“We know how important and how sacred elections are,” said MORE Power President and CEO Roel Z. Castro. “We want to make sure that the electricity before, during, and after the elections is of unquestionable service.”
Castro emphasized that MORE Power will conduct thorough system checks, station technical teams at COMELEC offices, and remain accessible at all times throughout the election period.
“We will really be accessible and reachable before, during, and before the results are declared, kasi alam ko pag magkaroon ng problema sa kuryente, ang unang tatawagin ay kami,” he said.
COMELEC Region VI Director Atty. Dennis Ausan welcomed the initiative, describing the partnership as one built on mutual trust and shared advocacy.
“You gave us full confidence. Those statements of confidence are what we need as we perform our mandates,” Ausan said. “This could go a long way… I’m looking forward to many more years of partnership.”
Under the agreement, MORE Power will also allow COMELEC information leaflets to be included in monthly electricity bills sent to over 100,000 consumers in Iloilo City, boosting voter education efforts.
In Bacolod City, COMELEC also signed a parallel MOA with Negros Power to ensure election power readiness across its franchise areas, which cover Bacolod, Talisay, Silay, Bago, Murcia, and Don Salvador Benedicto.
The signing was attended by COMELEC Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria and Negros Power executives, including President and CEO Roel Z. Castro and COO Engr. Bernard Bailey del Castillo.
As part of the agreement, Negros Power will conduct preventive maintenance, remove potential line obstructions, and deploy technical personnel to assist during the elections.
“Our collaboration strengthens our shared commitment to protect the democratic process and deliver clean, honest, and credible elections,” said Atty. Ananoria.
“This is our way of contributing to a secure and credible electoral process,” added Castro, noting the company’s readiness to ensure stable power supply across approximately 230,000 customers.
Negros Power will also include COMELEC educational materials in its billing statements, extending voter education to households across northern Negros Occidental.
Both MOAs will remain in effect until the completion of the 2025 elections and were formalized with no cost implications for COMELEC.
The partnerships reflect a growing model of public-private collaboration aimed at upholding election integrity and ensuring uninterrupted access to democratic participation across the Western Visayas region.
