The Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco) faced intense questioning from the House Committee on Legislative Franchises during a recent hearing, as lawmakers raised concerns about its repeated failures to provide affordable and reliable electricity across 16 municipalities and two cities in Davao del Oro and Davao del Norte.
Central to the discussion was a bill proposing to expand the franchise of Davao Light and Power Co. (Davao Light) into Nordeco’s service area. Nordeco opposed the measure, arguing it would grant Davao Light eminent domain rights, enabling private entities to acquire government-owned properties.
Voicing concerns against Nordeco
However, these arguments were challenged by Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Party-list Rep. Margarita Ignacia Nograles, who noted that such issues had already been resolved in previous deliberations. Nograles questioned whether Nordeco was truly meeting the needs of its consumers, pointing out the high electricity rates and service inefficiencies under the cooperative’s management.
“Ang totoong tanong dito: Masaya ba ang mga taong nasa ilalim niyo? Na pino-provide niyo? Hindi! Umiiyak na ang mga tao sa inyo dahil mataas masyado ang kuryente (The real question here is: Are the people happy under you? Are they happy with the services you provide? No! People are crying because electricity rates are too high),” she stated. Nograles highlighted Davao Light’s strong track record, suggesting the company could bring better service to affected areas.
Committee Chairman and Parañaque 2nd District Rep. Gustavo Tambunting shared similar sentiments, expressing frustration at Nordeco’s repeated objections. “I think Nordeco would also agree that so much leeway has been given, and it has been a very transparent and open hearing. Hopefully, we could come to a compromise,” he stated.
Adding to the criticism was Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario, who sympathized with Nordeco’s long-suffering consumers. Almario criticized the cooperative for failing to address the persistent issues plaguing its service area. “What exactly are you protecting? Your disgruntled consumers? Honestly, it’s frustrating that you cannot take action,” Almario said. He emphasized the importance of reliable electricity, saying, “The reason why I am very passionate about this is because I know what it feels like to have terrible electricity, and this is for the interest of the constituency.”
Following the deliberations, the committee approved a report recommending the expansion of Davao Light’s franchise into parts of Davao del Norte. The move was celebrated by the Davao Consumer Movement (DCM), whose convenor, Ryan Amper, described it as a long-awaited victory for the region’s electricity consumers.
“The passage of this bill into law would be a victory for consumers in Davao del Norte as they will finally gain freedom from high electricity bills and consistent power outages,” Amper said. He called on lawmakers and the executive branch to work together in enacting the measure, saying it would empower the Davao Region.
It was reported that as of September 2024, Nordeco customers are charged P12.008 per kWh on their electricity bills, while Davao Light customers pay P9.47 per kWh.
