ELECTRICITY will have to keep pace if Mindanao is to sustain growth. From frequent power outages to system losses and working capital stress from electric cooperatives (ECs), electrification has faced numerous hurdles. At the recent Mindanao Business Conference in Tagum City in Davao, reliability among utility providers was a point of discussion amid current struggles and its effects. Distributors in particular, like ECs, play a key role in determining quality and reliability of service. During a presentation, Arnel Casanova, senior vice president and chief external and government affairs officer of Meralco, spoke about the overall impact of losing power in a thriving economy. “Why does this matter for business? Because as members of the Chamber, you know that power — both its cost and its reliability — directly affects your operations. If you run a manufacturing plant, a food processing facility or even cold storage, an outage doesn’t just flicker the lights. It stops production. It destroys value,” he said. “Mindanao is already growing faster than the national average. But if power is not made reliable, that growth will be stunted.” Casanova outlined the case of Batangas, where he said industries and jobs followed where power was stable. The province achieved a 14.1-percent compound annual growth rate in energy sales in areas where electricity had strong distribution. “The logic is straightforward. Land and labor may be affordable, but investors will not come if power is unreliable. Conversely, when distribution is strong, industries move in, investments follow, jobs are created and local economies flourish,” he said. In the same context, Casanova cited the potential of working together with ECs and how Meralco’s expertise can become a driver of growth in Mindanao. “The numbers speak for themselves. Mindanao is already growing. With stronger utilities, it can grow like Batangas,” said Casanova. “Together — Meralco, the electric cooperatives and the business community — we can ensure that Mindanao achieves its full potential. By strengthening its distribution backbone, we can build a stronger Mindanao and, in the process, a stronger Philippines.”
