BY ALEX ALAGON
THE DAVAO Light and Power Company clarified on Wednesday that it can transfer its electric poles as soon as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) XI has settled the road right-of-way (RROW) issues.
During the Habi at Kape on Aug. 13, Fermin Edillon, Davao Light Reputation Enhancement Department head, was asked about the delay of the pole relocation in the Maa Flyover Project.
“Kaning poste nato dili ma-transfer unless ma clear ang road right-of-way. Once ma settle nila, definitely ibalhin namo na as soon as possible,” Edillon said.
He said the company has enough personnel to do the job, provided the issues are already settled between the DPWH and the owners.
He said they had already started relocating the poles, but encountered a problem when one of the owners complained about the erected pole that was transferred to his property.
Edillon shared that the owner is set to file a legal case, since the RROW has yet to be settled.
“Gi-call among attention sa tag-iya, and we informed DPWH of the issue because mag file man gud silag legal case. So, definitely we need to stop it kay ilaha man gud tong katungod kay ilaha man tong property,” he added.
Edillon also noted that they cannot proceed with the pole relocation gradually since it will cause a prolonged power interruption.
The 21st City Council on Tuesday agreed on a motion inviting the Davao Light and Power Company and telecommunications companies to the 7th regular session next Tuesday, Aug. 19, to explain the delay of pole relocations in the Ma-a Flyover Project.
THE DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) and the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) fortified their partnership in a ceremony that highlighted collaboration on personnel welfare and critical infrastructure security.
DCPO acting director Col Mannan C. Muarip, along with Lt Col Noel C. Asumen, received wellness equipment from Davao Light, represented by its president and chief operating officer, Engr. Enriczar T. Tia.
The event, held at the Davao Light main office on Aug. 14, 2025, showcased the utility firm’s commitment to supporting the DCPO’s wellness initiatives to boost the morale and physical well-being of its officers.
In a reciprocal gesture, Muarip reaffirmed the DCPO’s dedication to assisting and safeguarding DLPC’s operations, including the protection of vital facilities and ensuring the continuous delivery of essential services to the community.
In line with this goal, Muarip conducted an inspection of DLPC’s power lines and critical infrastructure.
Photo courtesy of DCPO
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte pointed to a Supreme Court decision as the proper indictment of what she described as an “abuse of authority” within the House of Representatives.
Responding to a question about a potential ouster of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Vice President Duterte said she had not seen or heard anything about it.
“Di man ko nagatan-aw sa ilaha oy kay irritating sila sa mata ug sa dalunggan (I don’t watch them because they are irritating to the eyes and ears),” she said.
She then pivoted the conversation to a recent Supreme Court ruling. “I’ve not seen it, but didto na lang ta sa kung unsay gisulti sa Supreme Court. Gilatag og tarong kung giunsa nila pag-abuso ang ilahang power dinha sa House of Representatives (Let’s just refer to the Supreme Court, which clearly laid out how the House of Representatives abused their power),”
she said.
The vice president was also asked about the description of the Speaker as a “spoiled brat,” but she declined to comment. “The best description for that is in the Supreme Court decision that there was really abuse and there was a show of power that was wrong,” she stated.
- 16 contingents compete in Indak-indak sa Kadayawan
SIXTEEN contingents will vie for this year’s Indak-indak sa Kadayawan with eight entries in the Davao City school-based category and eight in the open category.
In the open category, the three-peat champion Sindac Anib’s Performing Arts Guild of Bislig, Surigao del Sur, will make a comeback, while the Mati City National High School will defend its title.
They will compete with Katribu Mindanao Ensemble from Kapalong, Davao del Norte; Samu’t Sari Dance Company of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; Tinubdan Cultural Performing Arts of Davao City from Brgy. Bucana, Davao City; Indayog Maco Performing Arts of Maco, Davao de Oro; Saliw Indak Mananayaw of Kapalong and Talaingod from Kapalong municipality; and Colombio Performing Arts Guild of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat.
Organizer Harold Quibete said the Sining Sayon Dawet Cultural Ensemble of Davao City National High School will defend its title in the city schools-based category.
“The school won twice in a row, and if it wins this time, they will have to take a one-year break to give chances to other schools,” Quibete said during Wednesday’s Habi at Kape at Ayala Malls Abreeza.
The Davao City National High School will compete with Banaag Aplaya Performing Arts of Matina Aplaya ES; Lapu-lapu ES Performing Arts Guild of Lapu-lapu ES; Kultura Sandayo Indangan Performing Arts Guild of Teofilo V. Fernandez NHS; Mana Performing Arts Guild of Daniel R. Aguinaldo NHS; Los Amigos ES Performing Arts Guild of Los Amigos ES; Sining Mananayaw Ensemble of Catalunan Pequeno NHS; and Sta. Ana NHS Performing Arts Guild of Sta. Ana NHS.
For Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan or the street-dancing competition, contingents for the open category and Davao City schools category each will win P1 million with a plaque, and 150 medals will be up for grabs.
The second placer will receive P500,000; third place (P400,000); fourth place (P300,000); fifth place (P200,000), and 10 consolation prizes of P50,000 each.
The winners of special awards–Best in Music, Best Choreographer, and Best in Artistic Design–will receive P50,000 for each.
The Indak-indak grand showdown will take place on Aug. 17 at San Pedro Square, along with the Pamulak sa Kadayawan floral float parade.
THE DAVAO Light and Power Company (Davao Light) told consumers to expect minimal effects on the August-September rates due to the recent yellow alert status in Mindanao of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).
Fermin Edillon, head of Davao Light’s Reputation Enhancement Department, said the declaration of NGCP could affect the power supply in Mindanao and eventually Davao City.
“Since there is a yellow alert, naa yata duha ka planta na nag shut down. So, affected ang power supply in Mindanao and it also affected the supply here in Davao,” Edillon said during the Habi at Kape forum on Wednesday.
To note, NGCP announced on Aug. 1 that Visayas and Mindanao grids would be placed under yellow alert from 6-8 p.m. due to multiple power plant outages.
The advisory reported the Mindanao grid has 2,827 MW of capacity available, with peak demand reaching 2,667 MW. It was lifted around 7 p.m.
A yellow alert is issued when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the transmission grid’s contingency requirement.
Edillon said the July-August billing rate stood at ₱8.70 per kilowatt-hour — one of the lowest in the Davao region.
While the rates have increased, it is still lower compared to previous months, such as in May 2025, where the rates amounted to P9.1053/kWh, and P9. 5514/kWh in April.
He stressed that while the advisory will impact the rates, it is expected to be minimal. As of press time, DLPC has yet to announce the rates for the Aug- Sept billing.
As of August 15, the available generating capacity of Mindanao is at 3,497 MW, with system peak demand of 2,316 and operating margin of 1,181.
SO, THE schedule of the next election for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan has been moved toward the end of 2026?
We would not be surprised if incumbent barangay and SK officials these days are having smiles from ear to ear. Imagine having their stay in office extended for a little over a year!
And for those who are aspiring to challenge the incumbents, they have more than enough time to mobilize resources for the campaign and for themselves to move around for visibility purposes.
By now, we are certain that many will be harboring ambition to run for elective office in the barangays. What with some congressmen, Congressman Omar Duterte of the Second district of Davao City one among them, working on introducing a bill that will give regular fixed monthly compensation for barangay officials, including allowances and coverage by the Government Services Insurance System (GSIS).
And if nothing happens to the investigation on corruption, which is now the focus of the Office of the President, then the barangay officials could add up to their monthly take their “share” of between five down to 2 percent of the project budget allocated for the corrupt officials in concerned agencies.
For now, the barangay officials, from the village chief down to the last barangay councilor, are just contenting themselves with what the contractors of projects call “signature of acceptance” for them to collect the last 10 percent of their collectible from the government.
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Indeed, there are still a number among us Davaoeños who are still very much wanting in discipline and sense of cooperation. This, despite the much-boasted claim that we are among the most disciplined of Filipinos.
And this lack of discipline – or call it lack of respect to existing ordinances in the city – is recently proven by the report that as many as 79 persons were apprehended lately by elements of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) disposing of their garbage and other household waste in various public and private areas including that of the side of the Davao City Coastal Road.
Yes, many seem unaware that there is an existing ordinance in the city prohibiting the littering, illegal dumping, and improper waste disposal in both public and private places in the whole of Davao City. The Ordinance is called the Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management, denominated as Ordinance No.0361-10.
Our take on the failure of many of the city’s residents to comply with the Ordinance is the lack of an effective information drive of the city to ensure that the existence of the local law will reach the consciousness of everybody.
Yes, how could one publication of the ordinance, done usually as a requirement for the same to be in effect, succeed in instilling in the minds of people that there is such a local law? And to think that in several cases of Ordinance publication, this was done in “fly-by-night” weekly newspapers with copies normally just enough for billing purposes and some “hand-overs.”
And believe you us. So much of the publication payment goes to the pockets of certain officials, both in the executive and legislative branches of the local government.
For this, we believe, the Council Committee on Information has a job to do – look into what the usual causes are of the people’s seeming ignorance of important policies in place in the city government.
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By Tuesday next week Davaoenos will know who really caused the delay in the transfer of poles and lines, as well as other facilities of both the electric utility and the telecommunication firms.
According to officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), when they appeared before the Davao City Council to shed light on the delay of the work on the Maa-Diversion flyover project, one of the causes is the non-transfer of the utilities’ poles and wires.
By next Tuesday, the two utility companies will be able to present their side also in the City Council. Will both the Power firm and the telecommunication companies conveniently admit that, indeed, they failed to relocate their poles and wires?
“Let us to see,” to borrow the phrase normally used by the late Davaoeño Senator Landring Almendras.
- Warrants out vs self-confessed death squad member for libel, murder
THE REGIONAL Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 in Davao City has issued multiple alias warrants of arrest against former police officer Arturo B. Lascañas for cyber-libel, murder, and attempted murder.
The most recent warrant, dated June 9, 2025, and docketed as R-DVO-24-02594-CR, ordered Lascañas’ arrest for online libel under Section 4(c)(4) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10175).
The bail for this charge has been set at ₱48,000.
In addition to the cybercrime charge, the court has issued warrants for far more serious offenses.
In the criminal case R-DVO-17-02087-CR, an alias warrant for murder was issued on Oct. 16, 2020, with no bail recommended.
Furthermore, two related cases, R-DVO-17-02086-CR and R-DVO-17-02085-CR, both for attempted murder, each carry a bail of ₱120,000.
In all instances, the court has instructed law enforcement to execute the warrants within 10 days of receipt and to submit a return detailing the outcome.
The warrants list possible addresses for Lascañas in Bariquit Compound, Sitio San Andres, Barangay Indangan, Davao City, and Roseville Subdivision, Buhangin, Davao City.
The complainants in the murder and attempted murder cases include officers from the Philippine National Police in Davao City, the Bureau of Immigration, and the National Bureau of Investigation.
Lascañas, a retired police officer and self-confessed member of the so-called Davao Death Squad, has been facing multiple criminal cases for years. During a Senate hearing in February 2017, he claimed to have killed over 300 people on the orders of Duterte.
In 2021, the International Criminal Court gave him limited immunity in exchange for his confession about his role in the death squads and how former president Rodrigo Duterte orchestrated the entire operation.
Lascañas left the country for Singapore in 2017. As of this writing, neither the PNP nor Interpol has confirmed if efforts are underway to locate and apprehend Lascañas.
Photo courtesy of the Senate of the Philippines
Cebu Pacific is enhancing travel options for passengers traveling during the holiday season with additional flight frequencies on major domestic routes.
Starting October 26, 2025, flights between Clark and El Nido will increase to 18x weekly, while flights between Clark and Coron (Busuanga) will boost to 17x weekly, further strengthening Clark’s connectivity to Palawan.
CEB will also operate more flights between Cebu and Calbayog in the same period, providing flexibility for travelers to and from the Eastern Visayas.
From Manila, CEB will also increase frequencies to Butuan, Cagayan De Oro, Cebu, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Pagadian, Puerto Princesa, and Zamboanga.
| Route | From | To |
| Clark – El Nido – Clark | 14x weekly | 18x weekly |
| Clark – Coron (Busuanga) – Clark | 7x weekly | 17x weekly |
| Cebu – Calbayog – Cebu | 7x weekly | 11x weekly |
| Manila – Butuan – Manila | 35x weekly | 39x weekly |
| Manila – Cagayan De Oro – Manila | 56x weekly | 63x weekly |
| Manila – Cebu – Manila | 94x weekly | 103x weekly |
| Manila – Dumaguete – Manila | 35x weekly | 38x weekly |
| Manila – General Santos – Manila | 28x weekly | 31x weekly |
| Manila – Iloilo – Manila | 54x weekly | 57x weekly |
| Manila – Pagadian – Manila | 14x weekly | 21x weekly |
| Manila – Puerto Princesa – Manila | 43x weekly | 46x weekly |
| Manila – Zamboanga – Manila | 32x weekly | 39x weekly |
“With the peak holiday season fast approaching, we want to ensure that our passengers have more opportunities to spend time with their loved ones and enjoy their well-deserved breaks. By adding more flights on key domestic routes, we aim to make it easier for every Juan to travel to their chosen destinations,” said Xander Lao, CEB President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Passengers may book their flights to these domestic destinations through CEB’s multiple payment options, including credit and debit cards, as well as e-wallets.
CEB operates in 37 domestic and 26 international destinations spanning Asia, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Aboitiz Renewables Inc., the renewable energy arm of Aboitiz Power Corporation, released ₱1.8 million in royalty shares to 13 Indigenous Peoples (IP) organizations in Davao del Sur for the fourth quarter of 2024.
The royalties — channeled through subsidiaries Hedcor Sibulan, Inc. and Hedcor Tudaya, Inc., which collectively operate four run-of-river hydro facilities in the province — will support tree planting initiatives, community nurseries, and forest ranger programs in the nearby Mount Apo.
Of the amount, the Mount Apo Bagobo-Tagabawa Ancestral Domain Inc. received over half a million pesos, while IP groups Sibulan’s Cluster 1 and 2 were given over P400,000 and P500,000, respectively. Close to P300,000 were also distributed to other clusters and tribal councils.
The royalties are granted under Section 60 of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ (NCIP) Administrative Order No. 03, Series of 2012, which entitles host Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs) to a share in the benefits from resource use within their ancestral domains. The NCIP facilitated the validation and release process to ensure compliance with the applicable rules, existing law, and proper distribution to the rightful beneficiaries.
“This arrangement between NCIP, Aboitiz Renewables, and our Indigenous Peoples groups is built on respect, collaboration, and shared aspirations,” said Atty. Geroncio R. Aguio, CESO III, Director of NCIP Region XI. “Together, we are enabling our IP communities to make long-term investments in their future while preserving the cultural and natural heritage that defines them.”
“Mt. Apo is not just our ancestral land — it is the source of our water and life,” added Bae Dalia Agtag Pogoy, Tribal Chieftain of Bagobo Tagabawa Cluster 2 in Sibulan. “We invest in protecting it for the next generation.”
Previous royalty shares supported the development of two ecotourism projects — Mt. Buribid and Palaka Hot Springs — which are set to launch this year, generating income for Sibulan Clusters 1 and 2.
Royalty shares are also being used to enable IP youth to pursue higher studies. Since 2012, eight scholars have successfully completed college, most of whom took Education and became teachers for their tribes. Fourteen more scholars are currently pursuing degrees.
“By working hand-in-hand with NCIP and our IP partners, we’re helping build resilient, self-sustaining communities grounded in cultural heritage and empowered by clean energy,” said Noreen Vicencio, Aboitiz Renewables First Vice President and General Manager for Hydro Operations.
In 2024, the NCIP recognized Hedcor as a “Champion for Indigenous Peoples” for its “unwavering dedication to the indigenous peoples of the Davao Region.”
“Their consistent efforts in uplifting the lives of IP communities, while respecting and preserving their cultural heritage, truly set a standard for corporate responsibility,” Aguio said.
