DAVAO ORIENTAL-- In her administration’s bid to address the province’s economic recovery and improve the lives of her constituents, Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon is determined to improve the power delivery services in Davao Oriental.

Earlier today, during the courtesy call of the Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative, Inc. (DORECO) – the province’s electric cooperative and sole power distributor, Governor Malanyaon stressed the need to improve basic services, particularly access to electricity to help reduce the poverty incidence in the province which has recently increased due to the effects of the pandemic.

Among the programs she intends to pursue is the development of renewable energy, specifically biomass. The Governor said she is exploring a partnership with a Japanese company interested in investing in a biomass powerplant poised to reduce power rates by about 40 percent while providing clean and sustainable energy.

DORECO said it strongly supports the Governor’s plan, noting that renewable energy is the direction where the country’s energy sector is headed. “We are open to possibilities and willing to engage in projects with our partners,” said DORECO OIC General Manager Ms. Mary Ann Santos.

Governor Malanyaon also targets to provide electrification in the sitios that still do not have access to electricity. She said that under her administration, the province’s investments will mainly focus on basic infrastructure, especially the provision of electricity in rural areas and key tourism destinations.

In support of this, DORECO offered to shoulder the labor counterpart for the province’s electrification program. This is on top of its Sitio Electrification Program, which is set to provide electricity to ten sitios in the province within this year.

“We can give the labor counterpart to whatever electrification project the province would like to engage in. Our men are eager to energize our province, especially the tourism areas,” said Ms. Santos.

On the other hand, to address the frequent power outages, the provincial government and DORECO are set to jointly launch a massive clearing of all power lines across the province within the Governor’s first 100 days.

The DORECO appealed to the public’s support for the slated massive clearing, which Governor Malanyaon also strongly supports. “Clearing is also the obligation of LGUs, as well as, every community,” she said, adding the need to educate the public about their shared responsibility in ensuring that powerlines are cleared.

“We would want our barangay leaders and everyone in the government to help us secure our powerlines because power interruption interrupts everything; it interrupts everyone,” said Ms. Santos, adding that power outages are mainly caused by the obstruction of power lines and not the power supply.

According to DORECO, Davao Oriental has an installed capacity of 55 megawatts and a contracted capacity of 22 megawatts sourced from different power suppliers, providing the province’s power requirements. In the recent month, Davao Oriental had an average peak load of 33 megawatts.

To further address the province’s power needs, especially in its capital City of Mati, DORECO anticipates the operation of the Supreme Power Corporation’s diesel power plant in Barangay Dawan, City of Mati, which still awaits the approval of the Power Regulatory Commission.

DORECO also mentioned the soon-to-be-realized 138 KVA power transmission of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which is poised to provide uninterrupted power supply in the province.

Currently, DORECO has the cheapest electric rates in the Davao Region at P12 per kilowatt hour.

Governor Malanyaon lauded the DORECO for all its efforts in providing communities access to electricity. She urged them to scale up their efforts as energy is central to nearly every major challenge, including poverty eradication, food security, health, and education, among many others.

“This is the time when we really need to work on our economic recovery. I’m really doing my best to establish a lot of linkages just so we would be able to attain economic recovery,” said Governor Malanyaon, noting that the presence of electricity symbolizes the presence of the government and development in the communities.

She underscored her plans to relaunch the province’s agriculture and tourism programs poised to provide livelihood and address the province’s economic conditions, which rely heavily on a reliable power supply.

“Davao Oriental is a beautiful province with a lot of potentials. Sayang kung ma miss natin yan. (It’s a shame if we miss this chance.) Nobody would like to visit a province where there is a problem in power,” said the Governor.

“I’m here with the purest intention of really making a difference for Davao Oriental. I hope you share that concern with me. Together, we can make an impact in the lives of our people,” said Governor Malanyaon. By Karen Lou Deloso | Photos by Joel Owano