Cebeco teams restoring power in Tacloban, Palo

CEBU, Philippines - Close to a thousand houses and at least 300 electric poles in some parts of Tacloban City and Palo town in Leyte have been installed with electrical connections by the Task Force Kapatid of the Cebu Electric Cooperative 1, 2 and 3.

The Task Force, also known as Team Kilat and consisting of 577 linemen and engineers from Cebeco 1, 2 and 3, arrived in Tacloban City from Cebu City last March 1 and started their volunteer work the following day.

The Task Force brought with them 33 boom trucks, welding machines and other equipment needed in the restoration of power in these parts of Leyte. They are still working now and will stop until the mission is achieved.

Since then, they have covered parts of Tacloban City, particularly along the V & G Subdivision and Fatima Village, where they raised some fallen electric poles along the highway and install connections to the houses in those areas.

As of yesterday, the Kilat linemen and engineers were busy working at Barangay Baras, San Agustin and Campetic in the adjacent town of Palo where they finished electrical installations in at least 600 houses and more than 300 electric poles. They also installed electric meters without cost to the house owners.

The Kilat team, led by Fr. Francisco Silva, has been working with the linemen of the Leyte Electric Cooperative II in restoring side with LEYECO II to restore electricity in this part of Leyte at no cost to the government and the public.

Silva told The Freeman that he wanted consumers here to get back their electrical connections for free. "They don't have to pay the linemen brought here as volunteers from Cebu," he said as he assured the public of immediate power restoration in these Yolanda-hit areas.

People in these places were amazed by the speed of the Kilat team in installing electrical connections and meters to houses and street poles. Every day, the team members start their work at 4 a.m. and end up by 5 p.m.

Even Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, who at one time visited briefly the site where the linemen were working, admired the team's speed. "I wish they will train the linemen from Leyeco II on how to do the job fast," he said.

The team, under Boggie, general manager of Cebeco II and the overall task force commander, chose Tacloban City and Palo as its first area for restoration works and lighting up these places the soonest possible time.

Other key players in the Task Force were Victor Chion, consultant of Cebeco employees union, Engr. Lowell Belciña, resident manager of Cebeco-Cebu City office, Engr. Loy Crodua, assistant general manager Cebeco I and Virgilio Fortich, general manager of Cebeco III.

According to Leyeco II's general manager, Macel Avestruz, his fim's role was to support the Team Kilat in the restoration of power in Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte. The next scheduled site of the team from Cebu to work on will be Ormoc City and neighboring towns. (FREEMAN)