An 11-man contingent composed mainly of linemen was deployed by the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (FICELCO) last Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, to join the Task Force Kapatid set to help rehabilitate downed power lines in typhoon-ravaged Masbate province.
General Manager Francis A. Gianan said the team will join contingents from other members of the Bicol Electric Cooperatives Association (BECA) in providing aid to the restoration efforts of Masbate Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MASELCO) after typhoon Opong slashed its way through the island province last week.
Led by Foreman Anthony Tablate, the team is composed of linemen Sammy Romero, Michael Angelo Pereyra, Regie Sarmiento, Francis Cea, Remand Tablizo, Zenith Bernal, Romeo Aguilar, and Mark Kenneth dela Cruz, as well as driver and boom truck operator Jayson Torzar and general services assistant Joey Talan.
The team will be taking with them a boom truck and an Isuzu double-cab pickup truck during their week-long deployment.
Typhoon Opong’s onslaught killed three persons in Masbate and destroyed 19 houses and damaged 84 others.
In Catanduanes, the storm forced 1,747 families consisting of 6,126 persons to shelter in evacuation centers.
A report from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) regional office stated that 2,295 family food packs costing a total of P1.65 million were distributed to affected persons in four towns in Catanduanes: 365 FFPs for 302 families in Bagamanoc, one (1) FFP for 410 families in Caramoran, 1,000 FFPs for 980 families in San Andres, and 929 FFPs for 839 families in Viga.