ISLAND Garden City of Samal (Igacos) Mayor Al David Uy urged Congress to look into the electric cooperatives and the power situation of other provinces in Davao Region.
This, after the House of Representatives approved House Bill (HB) 10554, expanding the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company on Wednesday, December 1.
In a reshared SunStar Davao Facebook post, the mayor wrote on his post Sunday afternoon, December 5, that other parts of the region are also having problems when it comes to electricity.
"Dili lang diay Samal Island ang Naay Problema (It’s not only Samal Island that has power problems). Look at the comments. Hopefully, our leaders in Congress would listen," Uy said in his post.
Igacos is part of the franchise area of Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco).
But the mayor had been vocal about his disappointment with Nordeco's lack of action in addressing the island's rotational brownout.
Uy previously posted on his social media accounts about his frustrations with regards to the delayed construction of the submarine cable and substation projects. These projects are seen to improve the power situation on the island.
"I am asking now the former officials of Daneco and NEA [National Electrification Administration] from 2013-2018. Asa naman ang 200 million Capex [capital expenditure] ninyo for Samal Island? (Where is the P200 million CapEx for Samal Island)," Uy said in his post on June 26.
In a separate post on the same day, Uy said the P200 million loan of Nordeco will be passed on to the consumers of the areas it serves -- Davao de Oro and portions of Davao del Norte.
He added if the loan was made in 2016 and has been passed on to the consumers since then, Nordeco would have already collected P480 million, which is more than what was loaned by the electric cooperative.
In a separate post, the Igacos mayor said he cannot see the point of Nordeco passing on the expenses in the purchasing of line posts, transformers, and other equipment.
Nordeco General Manager Mario Angelo Sotto, in a previous report, already denied the mayor's claim that the loan was passed on to the consumers after the latter urged Samaleños to check on their electric bills if payment for Capex is included.
Sotto and Nordeco have yet to issue a statement on Uy’s recent statement.
Meanwhile, the proposed bill expands the franchise area of AboitizPower subsidiary Davao Light and Power Company to include Tagum City, the Island Garden City of Samal, Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, San Isidro, and Talaingod in Davao del Norte and Maco in Davao de Oro.
At present, the franchise area of Davao Light only covers Davao City and Panabo City, Carmen, Dujali, and Sto. Tomas in Davao del Norte.
Other Davao del Norte officials also voiced out their dissatisfaction with Nordeco.
Alvarez, in an interview, has assailed Nordeco officials for its alleged continued inability to improve its poor service that has exacerbated the miseries faced by his constituents during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis.
He said the recall of Nordeco appeared to be the only solution that would put an end to the burden being faced by his constituents as a result of the “lousy service” of the cooperative.
Alvarez said he has filed a legislative measure proposing the cancellation of the legislative franchise granted by Congress to Nordeco.
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib also wanted the entire province to be powered by DLPC soonest.
Nordeco, in an issued statement, had opposed the bill.
The cooperative said that it was "hasty carried and approved even in the absence of the position papers from the Department of Energy, National Electrification Administration (NEA), and ERC," which are yet to be submitted by their respective representatives.