Members of the South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative Inc. (Socoteco) are scheduled to vote on a proposed joint venture with IGNITE Power in a monthlong plebiscite that will shape the future of the power utility serving General Santos City, Sarangani province, and parts of South Cotabato.

About 200,000 member-consumer-owners (MCOs) are expected to participate in the referendum scheduled across four consecutive weekends from Sept. 5 to Sept. 27, 2026.

In a statement, Elenito Senit, Socoteco president, said the extended voting period aims to maximize voter turnout across the cooperative’s franchise area, adhering to guidelines set by the National Electrification Administration.

“The Board deemed it necessary to hold the voting over several weekends to give all qualified member-consumers ample opportunity to participate in this historic decision,” Senit said.

The cooperative’s leadership urged members to take part in the September vote, which will determine if Socoteco II can proceed with the IGNITE Power partnership. The deal forms the centerpiece of the utility's long-term strategy to rehabilitate and modernize its power distribution system.

On July 25, approximately 32,000 MCOs endorsed the proposed Conditional Joint Venture Agreement during an annual general membership assembly. Under Presidential Decree No. 269, as amended, the agreement requires approval from a majority—at least 50 percent plus one—of all qualified members to take effect.

IGNITE Power intends to inject fresh capital into the electric distribution utility to fund infrastructure upgrades.

The capital investment program covers the construction and upgrading of substations, replacement of aging power lines, expansion of network capacity, implementation of modern grid technologies, and overhaul of customer service operations to meet growing demand in southern Mindanao.

The Socoteco II board also adopted Board Resolution No. 104, authorizing the signing of the conditional agreement and directing the creation of an Overall Plebiscite Committee. The panel is tasked with managing voting procedures and overseeing an information and education campaign launched on Aug. 7. The cooperative established Aug. 6, 2026, as the eligibility cut-off date for voters and is currently purging inactive, duplicate, and deceased accounts from its roster.

The proposed joint venture comes as Socoteco II struggles with severe operational and financial strain. The utility accumulated P2.1 billion in financial losses through December 2025. System losses have escalated to 14 percent, draining approximately P40 million per month alongside growing network rehabilitation needs.