Power restoration efforts ongoing in ‘Opong’-hit Masbate

Restoration of electricity in the province of Masbate is still ongoing after Typhoon Opong battered the province, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said on Tuesday. 

“Sa lalawigan po mismo ng Masbate, sa mainland Masbate po ay patuloy pa rin po ang pagbabalik po ng kuryente po doon sa lugar, pero po sa isla po ng Ticao ay nakapag-energize na po tayo ng tatlong libo pong customer connections po,” said NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer-in-Charge Eric Campoto in “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(In the province of Masbate, in the mainland, restoration of electricity in the area is still ongoing, but in Ticao Island, we have already energized three thousand customer connections.)

“Inaasahan po natin sa mga susunod po na araw ay unti-unti pong maibabalik po ang supply ng kuryente sa buong lalawigan po ng Masbate po.” 

(We expect that in the coming days, the electricity supply will be gradually restored to the entire province of Masbate.) 

Meanwhile, NEA said that it has reinforcements from other electric cooperatives to help in restoring electricity in Masbate. 

“Mayroon din po tayong mga ECs galing po sa ibang region katulad po ng Region III, IV-A, Region VI at Region VII na on the way po ngayon sa Masbate upang tumulong po sa pag-restore po ng kuryente,” said Campoto. 

(We also have ECs from other regions, such as Region III, IV-A, Region VI, and Region VII, that are now on the way to Masbate to help restore electricity.) 

“So, overall po, nasa 358 po na line workers ang pupunta po sa Masbate para matulungan po ang probinsiya at ang Maselco po sa pag-restore po ng kuryente.” 

(So overall, there are 358 line workers going to Masbate to assist the province and Maselco in restoring electricity.) 

NEA also said that power restoration in the province may take up to a month. 

“Ang timeframe po namin dito ay siguro matagal na po ang isang buwan, dahil madami pong mga task force ang pupunta doon, amin rin pong pipilitin or kayanin mapailaw po ito sa mas mabilis pong panahon at araw," Campoto said.

(Our timeframe here is probably a month long, because many task forces will be there. We will also try to restore power as fast as we can.)

He added that generator sets have been deployed in critical facilities such as hospitals.

A state of calamity was declared in Masbate as the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said Opong affected more than a thousand families. 

According to reports, there is also no cellphone signal. Some telecommunications companies provide free Wi-Fi but for a limited time. An internet satellite was also provided for the province.

Some roads also remain impassable due to fallen electric posts and debris. —VAL, GMA News Online