Samal Island Residents Demand Relief as Electricity Rates Surge Past P12 Per Kilowatt-Hour
Residents of the island resort community of Samal are seeking immediate relief from escalating electricity expenses, with the Davao Consumer Movement highlighting the affordability crisis affecting the Island Garden City.
June billing statements revealed residential rates exceeding P12 per kilowatt-hour, marking a dramatic climb in consumer expenses across the island.
"The DCM expresses serious concern over Davao Light's announcement that electricity rates are expected to remain elevated in the coming months," the advocacy organization stated. The group warned that Samal residents "can no longer be expected to shoulder repeated increases in their monthly power bills."
The most recent rate adjustment represented a surge of nearly P2 per kilowatt-hour, elevating residential charges to P12.30 per kWh from P10.35 per kWh recorded in May—a jump of approximately 19 percent in a single billing cycle.
"This placed significant financial pressure on households. The prospect of sustained high electricity rates is even more alarming as families continue to struggle with the rising cost of basic necessities," the consumer group emphasized.
Davao Light attributed the increase to elevated generation costs within the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). However, the Davao Consumer Movement rejected the utility's explanation, asserting that island residents should not function as "default shock absorbers" whenever wholesale prices fluctuate or generating facilities experience unexpected outages.
"Managing supply risks and minimizing their impact on consumers is part of the responsibility that comes with operating an electric distribution utility," the DCM stated.
The consumer advocacy group reminded Davao Light of commitments the company made during Congressional deliberations surrounding Republic Act 12144—the legislation granting the utility operational authority over Samal Island, alongside the entirety of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro provinces. This transfer removed management from the previously struggling North Davao Electric Cooperative.
At that time, Davao Light pledged to Congress and the public that expanding its operational territory "would ultimately result in better service and more affordable electricity." The DCM emphasized that the utility's current rate trajectory stands in direct contradiction to those earlier assurances, demanding the company honor the commitments that secured its franchise expansion.