The April-May warm season in the Philippines signals the end of the school year when students spend most of their time at home. This also means a surge in energy consumption in households Davao Light encourages mindful use of electricity during the school break, even with the rate reduction for May 2025.
Applicable to bills received from May 12 to June 10, the overall residential electricity rate dropped to PHP9.1053 per kilowatt hour (kWh)—a PHP0.4461/kWh decrease from April’s PHP9.5514/kWh. The adjustment is due to lower power supply prices from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), where Davao Light sources part of its power requirement. The decrease in WESM price is brought about by a higher power supply, more than the demand. The dry season has increased the demand, but the fewer plant outages allowed higher supply availability, thus the lower prices across all grids.
The lower May 2025 rate translates to around PHP89.22 bill decrease for a household consuming 200 kWh using essential appliances such as a refrigerator, light bulbs, electric fans, a television, a rice cooker, a washing machine, and an iron.
“Despite the expected higher power demand during the warm and dry season, we have lower power supply prices,” said Fermin Edillon, Davao Light Marketing and Communications Department Head. “However, it is the school break, and the combination of students staying home and the intense heat or humidity leads to increased use of various screens, gadgets, cooking appliances, and cooling units, which could cause high electricity bills.”
“Last month, we recorded a 540-megawatt (MW) demand in our franchise area. This is Davao Light’s highest recorded power demand,” Edillon added.
With this, Davao Light urges customers to manage power consumption efficiently to avoid high electricity bills. The power utility shares practical ways to conserve energy during the school break:
1. Unplug unused appliances and devices. Appliances or electronic devices consume electricity even when turned off, but are still plugged into a power outlet.
2. Maximize fresh air and natural light. Open windows and curtains during the cooler hours of the day. Let sunlight brighten spaces and air circulate inside the home.
3. Use electric fans. Since fans consume less power than airconditioning units (ACs), it is best to use them. However, when ACs are indispensable, reduce the frequency and duration of use to save on power costs.
4. Ditch the water dispenser. Hot and cold water dispensers use electricity continuously to keep water at the desired temperatures. Store cold water in bottles in the refrigerator and hot water in a vacuum flask instead.
5. Avoid using several appliances in different rooms. Family members should gather in one area to maximize lighting, a cooling appliance, and a screen. When watching alone, use small screens such as tablets or mobile phones, as larger screens consume more power.
Davao Light customers may check the company’s official Facebook page, @DavaoLightOfficial, for more energy conservation tips.
An Aboitiz Power Corporation subsidiary, Davao Light aims to provide its customers with a front-seat vantage point regarding its services, including the sourcing and pricing of its electricity. This is in line with the mission of the company to deliver, at the most reasonable cost, safe and reliable electric service to the people and businesses it serves.
