Samal LGU incurs losses of P150M annually due to power issues

CITY OF SAMAL — Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) Mayor Al David Uy said on Friday that the local government unit (LGU)has incurred P120 million to P150 million in economic losses annually due to the long-standing power crisis on the island.

Mr. Uy said that Samal’s tourism lost P50 million, local businesses faced a total of P30 million in losses, homes sustained P50 million in damages, public services and infrastructure incurred P10 million in losses, and agriculture and fisheries suffered P20 million in losses.

“Just imagine this has been going on. By 2033, the losses will surely triple or quadruple,” said Mr. Uy in a presser.

Mr. Uy said that the support of tourism stakeholders is crucial in lobbying for House Bill No. 10554, which aims to expand the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Company, Inc. in Congress. The bill was vetoed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. in 2022.

He also said that the submarine cable is important to the people of Samal.

Nordeco’s P1.1 billion, 14.7-kilometer submarine cable project, which will connect Barangay Aundanao in IGaCoS to the Pantukan grid, is expected to mitigate power interruptions on the island.

In March of last year, Nordeco announced that the project would be operational by April of the same year. However, as of now, there have been no reported updates regarding the project.

Mr. Uy is now calling on Nordeco and Davao Light for them to meet halfway to solve the power problem. — Maya M. Padillo