Davao Light raises household rate to P13.33/kWh on costlier spot power

DAVAO CITY, Oct. 21, 2026 — Davao Light and Power Co. customers will pay more for electricity this billing period after the utility raised its residential rate to P13.33 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), up P0.09 from P13.24.

The new rate covers the Oct. 11 to Nov. 10, 2026 billing period. Davao Light said the increase was driven mainly by higher generation charges as prices on the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) climbed amid tight supply.

Spokesperson Fermin Edillon, reading a company statement at a briefing on Wednesday, Oct. 21, said the rate reflects power costs from August and September, when several plants were offline. Those plants returned to service by mid-October, which could affect upcoming rates, but he declined to say whether November would bring a decrease, SunStar reported. He added that global oil prices play a role but were not the main reason for this adjustment.

Two regulatory changes also show up on the bill. The value-added tax on the system loss charge has been removed under Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) Resolution No. 26, series of 2026, while an additional universal charge for missionary electrification of P0.0634 per kWh, which funds power service in remote areas, has been added.

Responding to consumer complaints about system loss charges, Edillon said they follow an ERC-set formula and are subject to the regulator’s audits. He said the utility is investing in equipment to cut losses and working with authorities against power theft.

Meanwhile, the Davao City Council has passed a resolution asking Therma South Inc., a sister company of Davao Light, to allot more power to the distributor and to expand its generating capacity by 320 megawatts, Edge Davao reported. Councilor Louie John Bonguyan, who chairs the council’s Committee on Energy and Water, said more contracted supply could reduce the utility’s exposure to volatile spot prices, though the effect on rates would depend on volume and cost.

What it means for consumers

A household using 200 kWh a month would pay about P18 more than in the previous period, based on the 9-centavo increase. Davao Light urged customers to conserve electricity as warmer, drier weather pushes up demand.