MORE Electric and Power Corp., the electricity distributor serving Iloilo City and parts of Iloilo province, was named grand winner of the Apex Company of the Year award at the 2026 Asia CEO Awards on Oct. 13, 2026.
MORE Power President and CEO Roel Z. Castro received the award at the 17th Asia CEO Awards ceremony at the Marriott Grand Ballroom in Newport City, Pasay City.
The award recognizes organizations whose achievements have contributed significantly to the development of the Philippine economy and society.
MORE Power won from among nine organizations named to the Circle of Excellence, the awards program’s group of recognized finalists and awardees.
The other Circle of Excellence awardees in the category were Acquire Intelligence, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, Concentrix Philippines, Datamatics Global Services Corp., Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund), Magsaysay Maritime Corp., Robinsons Malls, and SixEleven Global Services and Solutions Inc.
Presenters at the ceremony described the Apex distinction as recognition of companies whose achievements extend beyond their own organizations, citing visionary leadership and contributions to national development.
In accepting the award, Castro thanked the organizers, the board of judges, the company’s senior management and its customers.
He said an electricity distributor’s responsibility goes beyond operating under a franchise, citing the importance of competitive rates and reliable customer service.
“As an electric distribution utility, sometimes customers think that they don’t have any choice,” Castro said. He added that the company strives to give customers its best service in both rates and quality.
MORE Power began operating Iloilo City’s distribution franchise on Feb. 28, 2020. The franchise was later expanded to cover Iloilo and Passi cities and 15 municipalities in Iloilo province.
Since taking over the distribution system, the company has pursued rehabilitation and modernization to improve power delivery, operational efficiency and service reliability.
Among its reported milestones was the energization in June 2025 of a 10/12-megavolt-ampere mobile substation in Arevalo, Iloilo City. The facility was designed to serve nearly 12,000 consumers and improve power quality in the area.
In October 2024, the utility connected its first customer to an underground distribution system along JM Basa Street in Iloilo City’s historic commercial district, part of its efforts to modernize urban electrical infrastructure.
The company’s digital initiatives, including artificial intelligence applications and advanced metering infrastructure, are intended to improve monitoring of electricity consumption, identify power concerns and enhance customer response.
MORE Power has also reported cutting system loss from about 30% when it took over operations to about 4.7% by October 2025.
System loss refers to electricity that is generated or purchased but not billed to customers, including technical and other losses within the distribution system.
The figures were reported in coverage of the company’s award and should be distinguished from independently audited performance data when assessing the full impact of its modernization program.
The Apex award follows MORE Power’s recognition as CSR Company of the Year at the 2025 Asia CEO Awards.
Castro also earned a place among the Circle of Excellence awardees for CEO of the Year in the 2026 awards, according to published reports.
The Asia CEO Awards, presented by Santé, recognize business leaders and organizations for achievements in leadership, innovation, employment, service delivery and contributions to Philippine economic development.
The awards program says nominations are reviewed and validated by professional services firm PwC before the board of judges selects the awardees.
The recognition comes as Iloilo continues to develop its commercial, industrial and tourism sectors, all of which depend on adequate and reliable electricity infrastructure.