Started in 1994, the Panabo Branch of Davao Light and Power Co. Inc. celebrates its founding anniversary every September. This year marks the 28th year of the distribution utility’s lone branch serving areas in Davao del Norte.
The branch served over 20 megawatts and 25,000 industrial, commercial, and residential customers when it opened. To date, the numbers nearly quadrupled with peak power demand at 75 megawatts, serving over 90,000 customers in the northern franchise area of Panabo City, municipalities of Carmen, Dujali, and Sto. Tomas.
“We started with the goal of improving the efficiency and reliability of our distribution service here in the north. Then came the robust growth and development in our franchise area – businesses sprouted and jobs were generated,” said Panabo Branch Assistant Vice President Paul Michael Cazar.
A reliable power supply is one major factor investors consider when it comes to putting up businesses. This helped drive expansions in residential, commercial, agro-industrial, light, and heavy industrial sectors in Davao del Norte.
To cater to the ever-growing demand, Davao Light is building a new digital substation in Panabo City, with an upgraded capacity of 33MVA. In a statement during the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Panabo substation last July 2022, Panabo City Mayor Hon. Jose Relampagos expressed his support to Davao Light and its programs and his appreciation of the company’s great service. “Always gina-appreciate sa mga tao ang inyong good performance and delivery of services sa inyong kuryente… Mao na nga always ko naga support sa inyohang mga programa, proyekto,” Relampagos said.
Meanwhile, the Municipality of Carmen in Davao del Norte recognized the utility for giving the best services which resulted in “the overall advantage of the locality, its people, and investors.” Through Resolution No. 162-s-2022 last April, the company was lauded for its support of the locality’s various social economic reform programs that benefited industries, created jobs, and enhanced the “LGU’s inclusive internal economic growth.”
“Davao Light Panabo Branch is committed to continuing to provide better services by delivering adequate, reliable, cost-efficient, and quality service to our customers,” said Cazar. He foresees that customers in the Davao del Norte area will increase significantly in the next 28 years. With this, he added, “The company will continue to expand and electrify the remaining unenergized households and build a robust network to address the growing demand in the areas we serve.”
Equally important as distributing power, Davao Light with the Aboitiz Foundation has also provided various social development projects such as the refurbishment of electrical laboratories, and the donation of electrical tools and equipment, computer equipment and accessories to public schools in Davao del Norte. Assistance to the local government units was also extended such as donations related to vaccination programs and flood relief.
True to the Aboitiz Group’s purpose of advancing business and communities, Davao Light will remain committed to distributing safe and reliable electric service to all people and businesses it serves.
