At least eight more tropical cyclones are likely to hit the country this year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said on Saturday.
“We expect about eight to 11 more typhoons to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this year,” PAGASA deputy administrator for Administration and Engineering Services, Dr. Nathaniel Servando, said during a weekly media forum in Quezon City.
The strongest typhoons are expected in September and October, Servando said.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals are also unlikely due to Tropical Storm Falcon, which entered the PAR yesterday, as the weather disturbance is not expected to make landfall over the country.
Servando said Falcon, unlike Egay, which was a super typhoon, will only reach typhoon level in terms of intensity.
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy is focusing on 12 remaining electric cooperatives affected by Egay whose power supply has yet to be restored.
“Nine regions covering 38 provinces were affected [by the typhoon] but what is good is 50 out of the 62 cooperatives are in normal operations,” DOE Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella said in a briefing on Saturday.
He said four of the 12 ECs have below 50 percent restoration level — Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative, Cagayan II Electric Cooperative, and Abra Electric Cooperative.
Fuentebella said the National Electrification Administration is focused on fast-tracking power restoration of the said ECs.
“Electricity to consumers has not yet been fully restored in these four electric cooperatives,” he said.
“We are focusing on them and a contingent from Task Force Kapatid will be going there. Forty-eight are going to Ilocos Norte while 20 are going to Cagayan II,” Fuentebella said.
He said Manila Electric Co. will also assist in the restoration efforts by sending personnel and equipment.
Fuentebella said that in terms of power supply, only 88 megawatts of capacity have yet to be restored out of the 16,000 MW capacity of Luzon.