Skip to main content

Power in seven Samar towns restored

Countries
Philippines
Sources
Govt. Philippines
Publication date
Origin
View original

By Golda Meir T. Tabao

CATBALOGAN CITY, Jan. 7 (PIA) -- Seven municipalities in the Second District of Samar now have stable power connection after the onslaught of Typhoon Ursula last December 24, 2019 based on the Power Restoration Report of the Samar II Electric Cooperative (SAMELCO II) as of Sunday.

The said typhoon caused several damage to power lines and caused power outage since.

The estimated damage totalled to P19,817,484 with the municipality of Sta. Rita having the biggest damage amounting to P4,053,719.

At present, the municipalities of Hinabangan, Jiabong, Talalora, Motiong, Paranas, San Sebastian, San Jose de Buan are 100 percent energized. This totals to 22,177 households whose power lines were restored.

On the other hand, Catbalogan City has a 98 percent completion rate wherein 56 out of 57 barangays have been energized. Brgy. Basiao, an island barangay, is the lone barangay yet to be powered. Basiao is nearer to Zumarraga and connects its line from one of the barangays of the latter, which is yet to be powered, too.

Moreover, Basey already has 47 percent of energized barangays, Calbiga with 80 percent, Marabut with 79 percent, Pinabacdao with 75 percent, Sta. Rita with 68 percent, Villareal with 74 percent, Zumarraga with 76 percent, and Daram with 34 percent. A total of 411 out 524 barangays or 76,061 out of 90,190 households whose power lines have been restored in the district.

Daram, an island municipality, has a low completion rate as the restoration is done manually including the transfer and installation of electrical posts.

A Power Restoration Rapid Deployment (PRRD) Taskforce has likewise been deployed in three teams to the badly hit municipalities of Basey, Marabut and Sta. Rita.

The PRRD Taskforce is composed of around 78 linemen from Samar Electric Cooperative I (SAMELCO I), Leyte Electric Cooperative IV (LEYECO IV), Siargao Electric Cooperative (SIARELCO), Dinagat Island Electric Cooperative (DIELCO), Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (DANECO) and Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative (BUSECO).

Aside from the linemen, these electric cooperatives also brought with them boom trucks and other heavy equipment.

SAMELCO II asks the understanding of the community in their efforts to restore power lines.

“As much as we want to accommodate the requests of consumers who wish for their households to be energized, we follow a restoration procedure,” Dickson Q. Bernales, Member Education Division Supervisor of SAMELCO II said.

“We prioritize our backbone line which traverses to the city and town proper areas as there is a necessity to energize the offices especially the City and Municipal Halls. After the backbone lines, there is the lateral lines that now enters the barangays. The third priority is cluster of houses and last is individual houses,” Bernales added.

Bernales also shared that SAMELCO II General Manager Joey Talon issued a marching order to energize all barangays by January 15, 2020. (LDL/GMT/PIA-8, Samar)