The government officials of the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) in Davao Del Norte placed the island under a state of calamity due to an electricity crisis.

On Tuesday, May 16, the Igacos 9th City Council issued Resolution No. 734 s. 2023 formally declaring a state of calamity on the island.

“To mitigate the adverse impacts of this power crisis and ensure the welfare of our residents, the declaration of a state calamity enables our government and relevant agencies to employ necessary measures swiftly,” the council said.

In the resolution, the Igacos 9th City Council authorized Mayor Al David Uy of ₱8.1 million fund for the procurement of the modular generator sets and accessories to address the recurring brownout.

Thirty percent of the fund will come from the city's local disaster risk reduction and management (LDRRM) Quick Response Fund.

Photo courtesy: Igacos 9th City Council

The municipal council has also asked the board of directors of the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco), the supplier of electricity on the island, to appear before the local legislative body to respond to the public's concerns and demands about the power outage.

Nordeco is reportedly relying on a submarine cable that connects the island to the Mindanao power system in order to maintain the power supply. Three generator sets have been employed as a backup power source in the meantime.

Periodic brownouts are likely until May 30, and the scheduled load restriction in Samal has been prolonged, according to a Nordeco report.