Off-grid supplier income down as tax perk expires

The expiration of DMCI Power Corp.’s (DPC) income tax holiday for its Masbate operations pushed down its net income in the first semester by 5 percent year-on-year to P228 million.

The off-grid electricity supplier said in a statement growth in energy sales volume in Masbate and Palawan as well as the commercial operations of a bunker-fired power plant in Aborlan, Palawan helped soften the effects of the expiration of tax perks in September 2016.

“Our pre-tax income is a better indicator of our financial performance. We actually grew by double digits year-on-year,” DPC president Nestor D. Dadivas said.

Dadivas said the firm saw a 15-percent increase in Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) to P379 million.

“Serving the missionary areas makes good business sense,” he said. “We are optimistic that we will meet our targets for this year.”

Established in 2006, DPC provides electricity to small and remote islands not connected to the main power grid. —RONNEL W. DOMINGO