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On April 17, 2026, Davao Light inaugurated the Davao-Samal Submarine Interconnection in Bridgeport, Samal, a major infrastructure project aimed at strengthening electricity reliability and supporting the island’s future growth. The China-manufactured cable system spans 1.25 kilometers across the Pakiputan Strait, carrying 69 kilovolts (kV) with up to 50 megawatts (MW) of capacity to connect Samal directly to the Davao City grid.
The submarine cable is intended to become Samal’s main power source, not just a backup line. Its capacity far exceeds the island’s current peak demand of about 12 MW, while allowing room for future growth as new businesses and major projects, including the Samal-Davao Bridge, drive higher electricity use. The utility also said the line was built for durability, with reinforced protection and burial beneath the seabed to reduce risks from ship anchors.
For years, the Island Garden City of Samal sold a vision of tropical beaches, resorts, investment potential, and fast-growing tourism. Yet beneath that promise was a problem residents and businesses repeatedly said held the island back: unstable electricity.
That long-running issue entered a new phase when Davao Light formally assumed power distribution operations in Samal, replacing Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco) in the island’s franchise area. The shift followed the implementation of Republic Act No. 12144, which expanded Davao Light’s service territory to include Samal and other parts of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro.
In February 2026, court-enforced turnover of Nordeco’s distribution assets in Samal allowed Davao Light to take operational control. The transition was marked by legal battles, political friction, business pressure, and strong public expectations that more dependable electricity could finally unlock Samal’s full potential.
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Years of Complaints, Outages, and Lost Opportunities
Long before the takeover, Samal’s electricity service had become a recurring concern for residents, businesses, and local officials. Complaints over unstable supply and repeated outages grew louder as tourism establishments and households dealt with interruptions that affected daily life and operations.
Back in 2024, former Mayor Al David Uy lamented that Samal has suffered estimated annual economic losses of ₱120 million to ₱150 million since the 2010s. He blamed persistent service issues and unresolved power problems under Nordeco for slowing the island’s economy and business growth for more than a decade, adding that the economic decline is already evident in reduced commercial activity and disruptions across several local industries in the area.
To help address recurring outages and growing demand in Samal, Nordeco had previously proposed a ₱1.1 billion submarine cable project, which included plans for a new 69-kV underwater line connecting Pantukan to the island. Although it was originally scheduled for completion in early 2023, the project has not been implemented.
The frustrations experienced in Samal were not isolated, as similar concerns were reported across other Nordeco-served areas in Davao del Norte. Small businesses in these communities described a recurring pattern of unstable electricity leading to spoiled goods, damaged appliances, lost sales, higher generator costs, and ongoing uncertainty in daily operations.
In Asuncion, local enterprises were reported to be struggling to sustain operations amid frequent outages, while in Kapalong, residents and business owners weighed continued frustrations against hopes for a more reliable power system. These accounts highlighted how electricity issues affected not only large industries but also sari-sari stores, bakeries, eateries, service shops, and other family-run businesses.
In Samal, leaders said poor power service had discouraged investors who were interested in entering the island. “There were many investors who wanted to come into Samal, but the problem was their question was always: how is the electricity?” stated Mayor Lemuel Reyes in Bisaya. “I had no other answer except that it was really not good. Now that Davao Light is here, when investors come in, I can honestly say they are welcome to invest because Davao Light is now the provider.”
Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib said the progress of the cable-laying project marks a turning point for the province, expressing optimism that it will lead to a more stable and reliable power supply in the years ahead. “This may be one document, but this spells a brighter future and a better life to the people of Davao del Norte,” he declared.
Additionally, Jubahib said the project will reduce dependence on costly diesel, which has long made power supply vulnerable to fuel price swings and supply disruptions. “If diesel becomes expensive or supply runs short, Samal’s power supply will inevitably be affected,” he explained in Bisaya.
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Nordeco’s Opposition and the Bitter Exit
Nordeco strongly opposed the handover, describing aspects of the writ’s implementation as illegal, and argued that due process concerns remained unresolved. It said court motions were still pending and criticized the manner of enforcement.
Nordeco clarified that the Supreme Court ruling in favor of Davao Light covers only operational control within the expanded franchise area, while it continues to assert its status as the lawful franchise holder, with its authority remaining valid until 2028 on the mainland and 2033 in Samal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court had already upheld the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 12144, affirming the validity of the Davao Light Expansion Act and dismissing petitions seeking to invalidate the law expanding Davao Light’s franchise into areas previously served by Nordeco.
In Tagum City, a business group accused Nordeco management of leaving behind damaged or unusable office facilities during turnover. The Tagum City Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a sharply worded statement denouncing what it called the cooperative’s “appalling and petty behavior” after the alleged trashing of the Tipaz office during handover. The chamber said computers, servers, hard drives, and files were consumer-funded assets and should not have been compromised.
Nordeco denied the accusations and called them “sensationalized” propaganda. It insisted its departure complied with court orders and said any remaining debris was ordinary and not evidence of deliberate destruction.
Power Is a Basic Right, Not Just a Commodity
Electric cooperatives, as emphasized by consumer advocate Nic Satur Jr. of Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE), exist “not for profit—but for people,” underscoring their original mandate to provide reliable and affordable electricity in service of communities rather than commercial interests. This principle reinforces the expectation that power utilities should consistently prioritize public welfare, particularly in areas where stable electricity is essential for daily living and economic activity.
In Samal, years of unstable service, economic losses, and delayed infrastructure development under Nordeco exposed the gap between this ideal and the reality experienced by consumers. The ongoing transition in power distribution reflects both long-standing public demand for improvement and a broader reckoning with how essential services are governed and delivered.
Satur also acknowledges that not all cooperatives function effectively, with some burdened by high system losses, costly power supply agreements, weak governance, and allegations of mismanagement or corruption, all of which ultimately affect consumers who reliably pay their electricity bills.
“Support electric cooperatives that serve well, and reform those that do not,” he asserted. “Consumers deserve affordable, reliable electricity. Service, not profit, must lead our energy reform.”
Sources:
https://lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2025/ra_12144_2025.html
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/davao-samal-submarine-cable-launched-to-stabilize-power
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/mayor-samal-loses-p120-p150m-yearly-due-to-unresolved-power-woes
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/davao-light-completes-samal-submarine-cable-power-project
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/supreme-court-upholds-davao-light-expansion
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/nordeco-slams-trashing-of-tipaz-office-claims-by-tagum-chamber
https://www.mindanaotimes.com.ph/electric-cooperatives-for-communities-not-profit/
