By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur – The NORDECO Employees Care and Welfare Association (NECWA) has blasted Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib’s recent statement encouraging NORDECO employees to apply for positions at Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC), assuring them of his recommendation.
In a response, NECWA made it clear that Jubahib’s offer was nothing more than a recommendation—not a guarantee of regular employment. “This is just a political maneuver to weaken the workers’ stand on the constitutional protection of NORDECO’s franchise,” the association said, adding that the governor’s call contradicts the franchise expansion DLPC plans to push forward.
NECWA highlighted that NORDECO workers have long enjoyed security of tenure and decent wages as regular employees of the cooperative—an arrangement that’s now in jeopardy due to the takeover by Davao Light, which Jubahib vigorously supported. “At Davao Light, workers face contractual jobs with no guarantees,” said NECWA president Leonardo Largo. “It’s wrong to shift the consequences of decisions they had no say in onto the workers.”
The potential impact of the takeover is massive: 717 employees, including 458 regular workers, 158 outsourced staff, and 101 security guards, face an uncertain future. Yet, Davao Light has yet to offer any guarantees regarding the workers’ employment. In a Facebook post, Davao Light invited NORDECO employees to apply—but that falls short of the security they had before the transition.
NECWA officials warn DLPC will struggle to manage NORDECO’s franchise area, citing the lack of manpower needed to run the operation. “They need manpower to run this area,” an NECWA official said in an online interview, referring to the provisions of RA 112144 that allow DLPC to operate the franchise area but also allow them to charge consumers an extra 20 centavos per kilowatt-hour once they take over.
Meanwhile, NORDECO workers are awaiting a Supreme Court decision on their request for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to block the takeover. A local court has already issued a Writ of Possession, allowing Davao Light to seize NORDECO’s assets.
Adding fuel to the fire, NECWA also condemned Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) Mayor Lemuel Reyes for offering temporary assistance to displaced workers.
While his gesture was seen as supportive, NECWA argued that it missed the bigger picture. “Before the franchise transfer, NORDECO employees had stable jobs. They didn’t need charity,” NECWA said. “What they need is justice and accountability.”
Mayor Reyes defended his actions, stating he was committed to helping the displaced workers find new jobs with Davao Light. “I am doing my best to ensure they have employment opportunities,” Reyes said.
NECWA, however, insisted that the workers deserve more than just temporary relief. “They’re not asking for favors. They want justice, fairness, and respect,” the association concluded.
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