With 30 teams from 25 electric cooperatives around the country joining the Task Force Kapatid, the management of the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO) expressed hope that power supply would be fully restored to its 60,657 consumers before Christmas.
According to General Manager Engr. Francis A. Gianan, about 206 personnel and various equipment from the co-ops in Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Calabarzon regions have been deployed to the 11 towns under the task force organized by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PhilRECA).
PhilRECA Executive Director and General Manager Atty. Janeene Depay-Colingan told GM Gianan that the association recognized the urgent need for additional manpower and technical assistance to FICELCO in assisting and expediting the restoration and energization of its coverage area that was greatly affected by super typhoon “Pepito” last Nov. 16-17, 2024.
She said that this would ensure the swift resumption of vital services to the communities in Catanduanes, underscoring PhilRECA’s commitment to fostering collaboration and extending timely assistance to cooperatives in need during critical situations.
The initial list of TF Kapatid cooperatives includes seven (7) from the Bicol mainland: Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative (CANORECO), Camarines Nur Electric Cooperative I (CASURECO I), CASURECO II, CASURECO IV, Sorsogon Electric Cooperative I (SORECO I), SORECO II, Masbate Electric Cooperative (MASELCO), and Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO).
From the Federation of Rural Electric Cooperatives of Region VIII (FRECOR-8) are the Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative (DORELCO) based in Tolosa, Leyte; Leyte Electric Cooperative II (LEYECO II), LEYECO III, LEYECO IV, and LEYECO V; Biliran Electric Cooperative (BILECO); and Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO).
Also sending in their own teams are members of the Association of Southern Tagalog Electric Cooperatives (ASTEC) composed of Quezon 1 Electric Cooperative (QUEZELCO I) , QUEZELCO II, First Laguna Electric Cooperative (FLECO), Batangas 1 Electric Cooperative (BATELEC I), BATELEC II, and Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO).
Four cooperatives from the Samar provinces also sent in their own teams: Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative (ESAMELCO), Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (NORSAMELCO), Samar Electric Cooperative I and SAMELCO II.
ORMECO and LEYECO II fielded three teams of six personnel each while SORECO II brought two teams to Catanduanes.
The task force brought with them 18 boom trucks, three trucks with manlift capability and 20 other service vehicles.
As of Nov. 23, the power rehab effort has restored electricity to 64 of the 315 barangays in four towns or 20.32%, as follows: Baras – 2 of 29 barangays; Bato – 12 of 27 barangays; San Andres – 7 of 38 barangays; San Miguel – 5 of 24 barangays; and Virac – 38 of 63 barangays
FICELCO has yet to complete its assessment on the super typhoon’s damage to its distribution lines particularly in the most affected towns of Caramoran, Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Gigmoto and Baras.
An initial report as of Nov. 21, 2024 stated that in in 14 feeders, 134 primary poles were either broken or totally damaged, 347 were leaning and 310 had damage to its pole top assembly.
On the other hand, 56 secondary poles were totally damaged, 92 were leaning and 29 had damaged to the pole top assembly.
A NEA report estimated the initial cost of damage wrought by the recent November storms to electric cooperatives at a combined P40.6 million.
The NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department said that at least 17 ECs in 21 provinces from seven regions have been placed under close and continuous monitoring due to the trail of destruction left on the rural electrification sector by Typhoons ‘Marce’ (Yinxing), ‘Nika’ (Toraji), ‘Ofel’ (Usagi), and ‘Pepito’ (Man-Yi).