The silent power behind Iloilo’s energy overhaul

Roel Z. Castro, president and CEO of MORE Electric and Power Corporation (MORE Power), is not one to seek the spotlight. Known for his quiet yet impactful leadership, Castro has transformed Iloilo’s power distribution system — not with fanfare, but through results that have driven real progress.

“We’ve made a significant contribution,” he said in an interview, reflecting on MORE Power’s role in Iloilo’s development. “We don’t advertise what we’re doing. I just prefer to work silently — to just do it.”

Under Castro’s leadership, the transformation of Iloilo’s power infrastructure is undeniable.

From ending the persistent brownouts to modernizing the distribution systems and lowering power rates, MORE Power has changed the game — not only in Iloilo City but increasingly in the neighboring provinces as well.

The spark plug

Castro brings to MORE Power more than two decades of leadership across the Philippine energy sector. Before assuming his current role, he headed companies and served in key positions in the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines. He also sits on various civic and professional boards, including as president of the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation.

His depth of experience combined with his education at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, the Asian Institute of Management, and executive programs at UA&P and in Spain, has guided MORE Power through a bold and data-driven rehabilitation of Iloilo’s power system.

“There was really no magic,” Castro said. “We were very precise in our planning… and more importantly, our principal was always ready with the resources.”

Before MORE Power took over, Iloilo was burdened by frequent power outages. Castro recalls requesting billions in investment to overhaul the city’s fragile power infrastructure.

Over four years and an investment of P2 to P2.5 billion later, Iloilo now enjoys a stable and modern electricity system — something previously unimaginable.

“We just actually finished that last February,” he said. “And I told my people after February, there will be no more 12 hours, 10 hours, 8 hours’ outage. We’re done. If we’ll have outages — planned outages — these are for maintenance only — 2 to 3 hours.”

The impact of MORE Power’s overhaul is evident not just in Iloilo’s well-lit streets, but also in the renewed confidence it has inspired among the business community and local government.

“I always tell the local leaders, ‘Don’t be afraid to bring investments because the capacities of our facilities are good for the next five years,’” Castro said.

This assurance has been key to luring new investments in sectors like BPOs and, potentially, data centers. But Castro sees even bigger opportunities ahead.

“Iloilo is also trying to enter the manufacturing side,” he explained, noting that while services and agriculture are robust, the industry remains weak.

With the Iloilo international port now operational and receiving goods from Singapore, China, Vietnam and Thailand, the challenge has shifted from importation to increasing exports. “That now poses an opportunity,” he added.

MORE Power’s impact is also felt in consumers’ wallets.

“I would say that in the Visayas, in the last two years, MORE Power’s rate is actually either the cheapest or the next cheapest,” Castro emphasized. “After we took over Negros and Bohol, the three lowest rates now are actually Bohol, Iloilo and Negros.”

While Philippine rates remain higher than those in regional neighbors like Vietnam and Malaysia, MORE Power is actively positioning itself to compete, particularly in attracting industries that demand competitive energy pricing.

Building Iloilo

Castro is deeply engaged in Iloilo’s overall development. As president of the Iloilo Economic Development Foundation, he is helping craft a long-term growth roadmap that includes industry diversification, the creation of ecozones, and strategic infrastructure partnerships.

“There is a very strong private sector and government work relationship [in Iloilo], and I think again, to attribute where Iloilo is, [it’s] really because of that,” he said.

“Education is also a very important ingredient in all of this,” Castro added, pointing to the presence of top institutions such as UP Visayas and the University of San Agustin as foundational to Iloilo’s long-term competitiveness.

Today, MORE Power serves up about 45 to 50 percent of the total electricity demand on the island of Panay, including Iloilo, Capiz, Antique and Aklan. The rest remain under the control of electric cooperatives — a sector Castro views as the next frontier for reform.

For Castro, the first five years focused on rehabilitation and modernization.

The next chapter, he says, will be about reaching a higher level of service — one that will attract world-class industries and make Iloilo not just a city with reliable power, but a destination for investment and innovation.

True to form, Roel Z. Castro does not boast about the transformation he has led. But the results speak for themselves: Iloilo’s lights stay on, its future looks bright — and Castro is already quietly focused on what will come next.