THE Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) revealed that it has fully taken over the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos), including the island located at its back, Talicud island.
Enriczar Tia, Davao Light president and COO, said that there is an existing power plant that currently supplies electricity to Talicud Island. However, the distribution of power has been handled by Davao Light since the court issued the order in May of this year.
“Ang kuan lang sa Talicud medyo naulahi siya because we are still coordinating with NPC-SPAG for the contract; medyo nadugayan lang siya transfer sa contract but it’s already ongoing now,” he said in a media interview on July 21, 2026, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
(The only delay is with Talicud because we are still coordinating with NPC-SPAG regarding the contract. The transfer of the contract took a little longer, but it is already ongoing now.)
Tia said that they have already started the rehabilitation process and are thankful that the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Nordeco) has been cooperative with the mandate of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) through its cease-and-desist order.
He said that Nordeco's existing facilities have been undergoing rehabilitation since some of its assets, such as posts, power lines, line devices, and other facilities, are dilapidated and need upgrading. “Kana dili na siya overnight mahitabo, proseso na (That won't happen overnight; it's a process),” he said.
Tia revealed that the power demand on Talicud Island is more or less 500 to 600 kilowatts.
The Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower), through Davao Light, completed the submarine cable laying in the Pakiputan Strait, which connects Davao City and Samal, on March 12, 2026
A cable-laying vessel, guided by support boats and a team of technical experts and divers, brought submarine cables across one of the narrowest points in the strait between Davao City and Samal to ensure less environmental impact.
The cable is 1,015 meters long, was produced in China, and was custom-built to the specifications of the project.
On April 17, 2026, officials formally inaugurated the completed 50-megawatt interconnection line in Samal, paving the way for testing and full energization to connect the island to the main grid.
For years, Samal has faced power distribution issues and maintenance concerns, which have disrupted businesses, strained households, and weakened the island's potential as a tourist destination.
With the ERC granting provisional authority for Davao Light's Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), it has cleared the way for submarine cable laying connecting Samal to the mainland grid.
This followed when the Supreme Court, in January of this year, upheld the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 12144, or the Davao Light Expansion Act, which expanded Davao Light’s franchise into areas previously served by Nordeco. RGP
