NEA restores power in Davao

MANILA, Philippines - Electricity is now fully restored in all the remaining 25 remote barangays in the municipalities of Cateel, Boston and Baganga in Davao Oriental, which were devastated by Typhoon Pablo, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said in an advisory.

The full restoration came less than a month after President Aquino visited the areas to monitor the continuing rehabilitation efforts of the government.

Davao Oriental officials led by Gov. Corazon Malanyaon welcomed the restoration of power to the barangays during the switch-on ceremony conducted by NEA in Cateel town.

NEA administrator Edita Bueno, for her part, said the restoration was accelerated because of the fast release of the calamity grant, which was approved by President Aquino.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) earlier granted P51.1 million to the Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative Inc. (Doreco) to continue the power restoration and distribution line rehabilitation wherein electric power was not fully restored last year.

The NEA-led group, Task Force Kapatid Pablo, involved 126 engineers and linemen from Doreco and 11 electric cooperatives in Mindanao who voluntarily offered their services.

“The coops which aided the Doreco team were Surseco II, Surneco, Moresco I, Dasureco, Daneco, Surseco I, Aselco, Aneco, Socoteco I, Socoteco II and Sukelco. NEA deputy administrator for electric distribution utilities services Edgardo Piamonte, and engineers Claro de Veas and Exequiel Evale Jr. supervised the project,” NEA said.

The group commenced construction of lines on March 3 and completed this on March 29.

One hundred nineteen kilometers of line were constructed with 1,549 poles erected and some 673 households have been connected and more will follow in the coming days, NEA added.

Doreco general manager Gregory Dukil said the coop will also convert the single-phase line into three-phase to increase the power supply in the re-energized area to ensure power reliability.

The conversion project is targeted to be completed by May 15, NEA also said.