An estimated 3,000 to 4,000 sodium bulbs in the city have already been converted to light-emitting diode (LED) lights as of last year.
Councilor Louie John Bonguyan, chairperson of the committee on energy, said that streetlights in San Pedro and C.M. Recto, as well as in Francis Bangoy International Airport, have already been changed into LED lights.
“We have put LED streetlights in some barangays, but not all. Like in Paquibato District, there are some areas there that have no streetlights still,” he said.
With the use of LED lights, the city can save as much as 40% to 60% on the usual electricity bill.
The LED lights are said to consume only 40 to 80 percent less electricity compared to standard high-pressure sodium lights. It also offers excellent visibility and color accuracy.
Mayor Sara Duterte, during an interview in 2017, said that it is ideal to phase out sodium lights because they are inefficient and expensive. She also ordered the conversion of all streetlights in the city during her State of the City Address (SOCA) in 2018.
Bonguyan also said that the project, which started last year, has a timeline of three to five years. It aims to put a total of 36,000 pieces of streetlights in the city.
“If there are busted bulbs in the streetlights of the city, we automatically changed it into LED lights,” he added.
The city is paying around P18 Million per month for the electric consumption of streetlights alone.
“The committee on finance have allocated P200 million per year budget for the electricity of these streetlights. LED streetlights can lessen our electricity bill,” he said. “Now, the city government is paying only P18 to P20 million worth of the electricity bill to DLPC.”
He also said that the Davao Light and Power Company will sustain the project that will cost P400 million to P500 million.
