Brownouts continue to plague Samal Island City as summer season sets in

A surge in the demand for electricity is expected with the onset of the summer season even as the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) and most parts of Davao del Norte reel from continued power outages.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) declared last Friday, March 22, 2024, the official start of the “Philippine Summer.”

“We officially declare the start of the Philippine summer based on analysis of the latest forecast,” Pagasa director Dr. Nathaniel Servando said in a press briefing.

The Department of Energy meanwhile said that for every 1-degree Celsius increase in temperature, demand also goes up by around 100 MW of additional power.

Many people in Samal Island have mixed feelings about summer. While the sunny season meant the influx of tourists to the island, it also requires added power supply which the locality has been severely lacking for years.

Ironically, the power situation has even worsened lately, according to IGACOS residents.

“Magprotesta na guro ta ani kay murag sobra na kayac pag antos (Maybe we should stage a demonstration because the suffering is too much),” wrote Vanessa Hermapson in a post on “Samal Island Brownout Watch” on Facebook last March 20.

“Unsaon wa sad gebuhat ning politiko naglingkod (What can we do when our sitting politicians are not doing enough),” reacted Lilia Somoza in the same platform.

Apart from the increase of people visiting Samal, the rising temperature brought about by the summer season is also expected to contribute to the increased demand in electricity.

Pwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) Party-list Rep. Margarita “Atty. Migs” Nograles has filed House Bill 6740 that seeks the takeover of the Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Company of parts of Davao del Norte currently serviced by Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Nordeco).

IGACOS is among the Nordeco-held areas that HB 6740 seeks to transfer to the Aboitiz power company.

The Davao del Norte Chamber of Commerce, which supports the takeover bid, believes that a stable power supply will push IGACOS to be a major player in the meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) tourism.

The takeover is also being backed by Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib.

“With a stable and reliable power supply, hotels and resorts can aggressively market their facilities to businesses to hold their events in Samal. Likewise, businesses eyeing Samal as their destination can be assured that their events will not be disrupted by power outages,” he earlier said.