The National Electrification Administration (NEA) reported on Monday that lineworkers are doubling down on their efforts to fully energize Catanduanes province by Dec. 20, in time for the holidays.
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda met with officials of the First Catanduanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Ficelco ) led by general manager EngFrancis Gianan at their headquarters.
“I am happy to inform that… GM Francis promised me that in a couple of weeks, before Christmas, we will achieve 100 percent restoration in the whole province of Catanduanes,” said Almeda.
NEA and the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (Philreca) deployed at least 206 lineworkers from various electric cooperatives in Luzon and Visayas to speed up the repair of Ficelco’s power distribution network in the wake of Super Typhoon ‘Pepito’ last month.
Ficelco has restored electricity services at 66 percent in the barangay level and 76 percent in terms of consumer connections as of Dec. 1.
An estimated 60,657 member- consumer-owners are still dealing with power interruptions.
“There are 25 ECs who sent warm bodies, personnel to help FICELCO in its restoration process. So, if I’m not mistaken, nandito pa rin sila hanggang ngayon (they are still here). And the standing order is do not leave FICELCO until it (reaches) 100 percent (energization),” the NEA chief said.
Almeda turned over a check worth P46-million in financial assistance to Ficelco to augment its resources. The allocation was drawn from the NEA-administered Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF).
Ficelco requested at least P90.6-million to help repair its typhoon-damaged distribution facilities.
The NEA chief said the remaining funds needed is currently under evaluation and will be requested formally before the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for proper allocation.
Almeda said Ficelco was among the ECs severely impacted by the series of storms that hit the country last month.
He assured that power restoration activities are also ongoing in other affected distribution utilities.
