DAVAO Light and Power Co. (DLPC) customers will pay more for electricity after the utility raised its residential rate to P13.33 per kilowatt-hour for the Oct. 11 to Nov. 10, 2026, billing period, up 9 centavos from P13.24.
The increase stems mainly from higher Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) prices amid tight power supply, DLPC said in a statement read by spokesperson Fermin Edillon during a press briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, Oct. 21.
Edillon said the rate reflects electricity costs in August and September, when several power plants were offline. Their return to service by mid-October could affect rates in the coming billing periods, but he declined to predict whether rates would fall in November.
“Dili, dili ko kaingon ana (No, I can’t say that),” he said.
Global oil prices also affect electricity rates, but Edillon said they were not the main driver of the latest increase.
“Usa sa mga hinungdan but not ang main reason (It’s one factor, but not the main reason),” he said.
DLPC said it continues to implement measures approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to ease the impact on customers. These include removing the value-added tax from the system loss charge under ERC Resolution No. 26, series of 2026.
However, bills also include an additional 6.34 centavos per kWh in the universal charge for missionary electrification, which funds electricity services in remote and underserved areas.
Edillon also addressed complaints about system loss charges, saying the fees follow established formulas and undergo ERC monitoring and audits.
“Naa gyud ni siya’y formula, naa siya’y mekanismo (It follows a formula and an established mechanism),” he said.
He compared system loss to a block of ice transported from Davao City to Digos that partly melts along the way. Similarly, some electricity is lost as it travels through power lines before reaching customers.
DLPC is investing in equipment to reduce these losses and working with authorities to apprehend electricity thieves, Edillon said. He added that the ERC orders refunds when it finds that utilities have overcharged customers.
With warmer weather and dry conditions driving up electricity demand, DLPC urged customers to conserve power to manage their consumption and bills. GRS