DOE to act on Igacos power woes

The Department of Energy (DOE) is trying to solve the power woes being experienced by residents and resort owners of the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos).

Samal is being served by Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco) however the island is being bogged by frequent power outages caused by a damaged underwater power transmission cable. It is consists of Samal and Talikud islands along with smaller islets and is a major tourism destination in Davao Region.

The management rivalry in Daneco where the cooperative was split by factions belonging to Daneco-CDA (Cooperative Development Authority) and the Daneco-NEA (National Electrification Administration) has affected services to the three major areas of DANECO; parts of Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and Igacos and also contributed to its indebtedness to power suppliers.

The dispute ended when NEA took over the ailing power cooperative thru Task Force Duterte Northern Davao Power.

“We asked them if they could waive the certain areas, instead of waiving the areas what they ask force proposed was separate area manager for Comval, a separate area manager for Davao del Norte and another for Samal,” Energy undersecretary Felix Fuentebella said.However Fuentebella said IGaCoS is different as the area is connected by a underwater cable which was damaged and where DANECO was not able to respond quickly which resulted to the woes being experienced by its consumers in the area.

“We are trying to find a way kung puwede deemed ma-waive pa rin yun (if it can be waived) so that the private sector can come in,” he said. Among the options included putting up a generator, setting up an entire new system which would become a qualified third party or attach it to another power utility firm like the Davao Light and Power Company which the islanders are clamoring. /