Nordeco deems Davao Light takeover as occurring too soon
Revised Article
In a nutshell, the ongoing tussle between Northern Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. (Nordeco) and Davao Light and Power Company (Davao Light) revolves around Republic Act No. 12144 (RA 12144), which see-sawed its way into law in April 2025. This baby pulls certain municipalities from Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro under Davao Light's electric service jurisdiction, effectively yanking control from Nordeco in those areas[2].
Being the feisty upstart it is, Nordeco has hauled Davao Light to the Supreme Court, arguing RA 12144 is legally dodgy and flouts the due process clause of the 1987 Philippine Constitution[1]. The cooperative aims to put a stopper on RA 12144's implementation, shouting it a constitutional no-go and a raw deal[3][5].
As the drama unfolded, the Supreme Court decided to take a peek, and the situation is still up in the air. Essentially, this stalemate halts the handover of Davao Light's operational control in the disputed areas, allowing Nordeco to keep its grip on electric services in these municipalities[1][3].
In short:
- RA 12144 extends Davao Light's franchise to take charge of a bunch of municipalities in Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro.
- Nordeco calls shenanigans, taking Davao Light to the Supreme Court to invalidate the entire situation.
- Until the court weighs in, Nordeco remains the big cheese when it comes to electric services in these disputed areas.
The Supreme Court's final decision will settle on who'll be powering these provinces and disturb the peace for good or bad[1][3][5].
- The ongoing legal dispute between Nordeco and Davao Light revolves around RA 12144, a law that extended Davao Light's electric service jurisdiction to certain municipalities in Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro, potentially disrupting Nordeco's finance and industry in those regions.
- Nordeco's argument to the Supreme Court claims that RA 12144 does not comply with the due process clause of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and may have been illegally implemented, affecting their energy and business operations in these regions.
- The Supreme Court's final decision will determine which company, Davao Light or Nordeco, will be responsible for providing electric services to these disputed provinces, with potential implications for energy, business, finance, and the local government in the affected areas.
