Mayor Baste Duterte urges cooperation to secure Mindanao's power supply

Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte has urged government agencies, power companies and industry groups to pool their efforts so that Mindanao has electricity that is reliable, affordable and sustainable for its growing population, Edge Davao reported.

The mayor's message was delivered on his behalf by Atty. Alona Suzell Kuyeras-Borromeo, assistant vice president for Corporate Services of AboitizPower Transition Business Group, at the Power Forward Mindanao: A Mindanaoan Dialogue on the Future of Energy. The forum gathered government and industry representatives to discuss the region's energy future and ways to strengthen power security.

In his message, Duterte said cooperation across sectors is necessary as demand for electricity in the region keeps rising. He noted that a steady and affordable power supply becomes more important as communities and businesses expand, and that electricity is tied to economic development, public welfare and the delivery of basic government services.

"May we continue to work together to ensure that Mindanao's source of energy is accessible, reliable, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of all Mindanaoans today and for more years to come," Duterte said.

The mayor described the dialogue as a further push for the advancement of energy development in Mindanao. He expressed hope that the discussions would result in concrete ideas, stronger collaboration among stakeholders and actionable commitments toward a more secure energy supply for the region.

The report did not detail any specific proposals or agreements reached at the forum.