DAVAO Light and Power Company (Davao Light) has reiterated its authority to operate in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) and urged Northern Davao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Nordeco) to stop spreading what it described as misleading information amid the ongoing dispute over power distribution on the island.
In a press statement dated March 9, 2026, and furnished to SunStar Davao, Davao Light clarified that its mandate to serve electricity consumers in Samal is backed by several legal and regulatory issues.
These include Republic Act 12144, which expanded the company’s franchise area to cover Samal, as well as a unanimous ruling by the Supreme Court of the Philippines affirming the constitutionality and validity of the law.
The company also cited a writ of possession issued by the Regional Trial Court covering all electric distribution assets in Igacos, along with a Provisional Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) granted by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), authorizing Davao Light to begin serving consumers in Davao del Norte, including Samal, and Davao de Oro.
Davao Light noted that developments on the ground have already begun, saying that its distribution poles were officially installed in Samal in February, marking the start of the transition of power infrastructure on the island.
The firm also highlighted an exclusive power supply agreement with Phil-Power Ventures, which took effect on February 25, under which electricity generated by the company is now contracted for distribution to households and businesses in Samal.
Davao Light said these developments reinforce its legal and operational responsibility to provide reliable electricity service to residents and businesses in the island city.
“We call upon Northern Davao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Nordeco)’s management and board to cease the spread of misleading information and, in the interest of public service and the good of the people, to yield to and accept the necessary, peaceful, and purposeful transition mandated by RA 12144.”
“We urge them to respect the resolution of the Supreme Court and the orders of the RTC and the ERC. We encourage all residents to follow official announcements from Davao Light as we work with authorities to ensure a stable and orderly shift in services for the benefit of the community.”
The clarification came after Nordeco advised its member-consumer-owners in Samal to continue settling their electricity bills with the cooperative.
In a March 6 advisory, the cooperative maintained that it remains the lawful power distribution utility in the island, citing its congressional franchise, which, it said, runs until 2033.
Nordeco also argued that its operations are protected under Section 11, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution, adding that jurisprudence involving electric cooperatives in Iloilo City and MORE Electric and Power Corporation suggests that power distribution franchises may coexist within the same service area.
Davao Light reacts to motions filed by Nordeco
In its recent statement addressed to its consumers, Nordeco insisted that several motions it has filed are still pending in court.
For one, they challenged the writ of possession, which remains unresolved before the Panabo court. They filed a motion for reconsideration dated February 6, 2026, seeking to reverse the order granting the writ of possession.
The cooperative also filed an omnibus motion on February 20, 2026, requesting the lifting of the notice to vacate and the writ of possession.
On February 25, 2026, Nordeco likewise filed a motion seeking the issuance of a status quo order in an attempt to halt further implementation of the turnover while the legal issues are being resolved.
The cooperative emphasized that the court has yet to rule on these motions, which it said should have been addressed before the assets were transferred to Davao Light.
However, in an online interview, Fermin Edillon, Davao Light Reputation Enhancement Head, said the court order is already enforceable.
“The writ, a valid court order, was implemented according to legal procedures and remains enforceable unless restrained or reversed by a competent court,” he said. DEF