1950s –Rural Electrification Corporation (RECORDA) – a family owned utility was granted a franchise to operate in the province where only the town centers were served.
1961, June 2 — ···R.A. 6038 was passed which called for the organization of electric cooperatives (ECs)
1969 — ···The National Electrification Administration (NEA) – the mother organization of ECs was created and 2 pilot projects: MORESCO (Misamis Or. Electric Coop) and VRESCO ·(Victorias Rural· Electric Service Coop) were launched
1971 — ···36 more ECs were established in various parts of the country
1974 -· Local officials, headed by then Gov. Nonito D. Llanos, Sr. – the Father of Rural Electrification in Davao del Sur, let NEA know about the keen interest of the people of Davao del Sur to organize an electric coop. He was assisted by Atty. Jose T. Amacio, General Manager of Davao del Norte Electric Coop., Inc. (DANECO) in obtaining an audience with then NEA Administrator Gen. Pedro G. Dumol.
Before June 1975 — a Provincial Electric Cooperative Team (PECT) was formed to coordinate with NEA representatives in the preparation of loan feasibility and engineering studies. Atty. Isidro Ordaneza of Padada was Chairman and Dr. Vicente Florida, Jr., Romualdo Crispino, Alfonso Gomez, Bernardo Garvida, Henry Lei and Engr. Joel E. Abajero were members. The District Electrification Committee (DEC) was also organized in the different municipalities. The chairmen in the different districts composed the interim members of the board of directors and incorporators. They were Dominador A. Bendigo, Sr. – Sta. Cruz; Patricio R. Atillo – Digos; Ramon L. Delos Cientos, Sr. – Bansalan; Federico S. Duldulao – Matanao; Jose I. Belisario – Magsaysay; Leonardo M. Cabaobao – Hagonoy; James J. Binoya – Padada; Leopoldo N. Cruz, Sr. – Kiblawan; Jovito A. Marquez – Sulop; Sabino P. Zantua – Malalag; and Juan L. Zapanta – Sta. Maria.
1975, June 1 — DASURECO was formally organized as the 63rd electric cooperative with the signing of the Articles of Incorporation and registration with NEA. Witnesses to the signing of the articles of incorporation were Governor Nonito D. Llanos, Sr. and Romualdo Crispino. NEA was represented by then Deputy Administrator for Coop Development Engr. Leonardo Caloso. On the same day, the interim officers of the board were elected with Patricio R. Atillo as President; James K. Binoya as Vice President; Leonardo M. Cabaobao as Secretary; Dominador A. Bendigo, Sr. as Treasurer; and Ramon L. Delos Cientos, Sr., Federico S. Duldulao, Jose I. Belisario, Leopoldo N. Cruz, Sr. Jovito A. Marquez, Sabino P. Zantua and Juan L. Zapanta as members. An organizational meeting then followed. Others attending were Governor Llanos, Gil B. Medina, Lino M. Culalic, Reynaldo V. Abundo — Coop Development Officers of NEA; Nicasio L. Baloyo — Chief, Feasibility Study Division, NEA; Jeremias R. Madrid — Coop Information Officer, NEA; Nonito E. Llanos, Jr. — Vice Mayor of Digos; Atty. Margarito Halasan — Asst. Provincial Auditor of Davao del Sur; and Engr. Joel E. Abajero, then Provincial Development Officer of Davao del Sur, who later became the first regular General Manager of DASURECO.
1975, July 13 -···the first loan signing was held at the Ramon Magsaysay Auditorium in Digos. President Atillo represented DASURECO while NEA Deputy Administrator for Cooperative Development, Engr. Leonardo G. Coloso, represented NEA. Instrumental witnesses to the loan contract agreement were Governor Nonito D. Llanos, Sr. and Mayor of Digos Jesus A. Ralota. The first loan was P16, 554,000.00, bearing an interest of 3% per annum payable in 30 years. The amount was used to finance the construction of Phase I electrification project composed of the eleven (11) municipalities of the coverage area.
1975, November 12 –· the operation of RECORDA was taken over by DASURECO with nine (9) self-generating units (925KW) as the interim source of power. Initially, there were only 2,076 consumers. Since DASURECO was still a neophyte, it has to seek assistance and guidance from NEA. Danilo P. Dela Cruz — NEA Senior Auditor and Hernando A. Esguerra — NEA Senior Analyst, were designated as Acting General Manager and Acting Office Manager, respectively, to share their expertise and know-how in handling electric coops operations.
1976, April 21, – the first pole was erected and DASURECO was awarded the contract to Leitz-Zulueta Capital, Inc. for the contract price of P711, 206.40 for labor only.
1976, May –the Architectural and Engineering Agreement between DASURECO and Adrian Wilson International Associates, Inc. (AWIA) was signed to address the need for engineering consultant to handle the architectural and engineering work. The engineering firm undertook the mapping, load survey, staking preparation of plans, estimates of materials, preparation of bid documents and supervision of the project during the construction stage.
1977, January 19 -· the take-over of Matanao Municipal System
1977, February 22 — Ground-breaking of the 4.78-hectare headquarter site acquired by DASURECO at only P1.00 per square meter or P47, 800.00. DASURECO used to occupy a small space at the Digos Municipal Building as its temporary office and also the Crispino Building near the public market later. Most of RECORDA’s employees composed the original work force of DASURECO.
1977, March 1 — the construction of the permanent coop headquarters facilities started. The contractor, ··Vicente P. Mancao Construction built the administrative building, shop, warehouse and GM’s residence with a total contract price of P1.555 M.
1977, September — DASURECO entered into a formal contract with DLPC for the purchase of power using the constructed 69KV transmission lines of NPC. This is because the taken-over generating units have no full generating capacity to supply power for the coop’s backbone system due to its deteriorating condition. The target of the National Power Corporation (NPC) to complete its 138KV transmission lines from Maria Cristina, Iligan City had long been delayed, hence the DASURECO was compelled to look for said interim power source.
1977, September 14 — the coop energized the first seven (7) municipalities of the eleven (11) of its area coverage, namely: Digos, Bansalan, Matanao, Magsaysay, Padada, Sulop and Malalag.
1978 — DASURECO energized the Municipality of Hagonoy, the 8th Municipality energized.
1978, February 11 — The first Annual General Membership Meeting was held. On the same day, the coop energized Sta. Cruz, the 9th municipality energized. The 10th municipality energized by DASURECO was Kiblawan. The coop’s coverage area expanded from eleven (11) to thirteen (13) municipalities to include the remaining two (2) municipalities of Malita and Jose Abad Santos, which actually comprise the entire province.
1978, March 24 — Sta. Maria was energized, bringing now to eleven (11) the total municipalities energized by DASURECO. The coop was able to construct and energized the Phase 1 project of the backbone system within a period of one (1) year and eleven (11) months.
1978, September 13 — the National Electric Commission granted DASURECO with Certificate No. 016 as sole electric franchise to operate light and power service in Davao del Sur for the period of fifty (50) years.
1978 — AGM Danilo P. Dela Cruz was designated by NEA as the Acting General Manager of North Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. (COTELCO) on a concurrent basis. This marked the beginning of inter-coop exchange of technologies and skills.
1979, January 31– NEA recalled AGM Dela Cruz. Ms. Betty J. Garcia, Staff Assistant then, was designated Officer-In-Charge.
1979, September 16 — the Board appointed Engr. Joel E. Abajero as regular manager.
1980, December 17 — DASURECO was granted a second loan for the Phase II of the project which covered the Municipalities of Malita, Jose Abad Santos, Don Marcelino and Sarangani Island. The third loan for expansion of lateral lines in the amount of P8M was signed in August 1983.
1982 — DASURECO was categorized as A Coop
1985 -··· DASURECO was named the Best EC in Mindanao & in the Philippines
1986, July — Engr. Joel E. Abajero, General Manager of DASURECO resigned from his post. Engineers Jesus P. Dela Victoria and Alex G. Garcia, Manager for Engineering and Chief, Operations and Maintenance Department, respectively, were designated as Officer-In-Charge on an alternate basis.
1987, September 17 — Engr. Jesus P. Dela Victoria was appointed by the Board and concurred by NEA as the second regular manager of DASURECO.
1988, December — DASURECO was granted the fourth loan amounting to P8.399 M.
1990 — The fifth and sixth loans totaling to P11.44M from USAID.
1991, February 18 — Another loan amounting to P123 M was signed on to finance for 1991 to 1995 electrification projects.
1997, August 28 — DASURECO was elevated to HALL OF FAME