Gatchalian urges DOE, NEA to use electric coops fund in ‘Ompong’-hit areas

Make full use of the new Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund (ECERF) to jumpstart efforts to normalize the power supply in provinces affected by Typhoon “Ompong,” Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) on Tuesday.

“Kaya nga tayo gumawa ng batas gaya ng ECERF Act at naglaan ng pondo para sa ganitong mga okasyon ay para maibsan ang mga dinadalang problema ng ating mga kababayan na nasalanta ng bagyo,” Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate committee on energy, said in a statement.

(The reason why we passed laws such as the ECERF Act and set aside funds is to respond to incidents like this and help lessen the burden of typhoon victims.)

The ECERF Act is a P750-million fund managed by the NEA to provide immediate financial assistance to electric cooperatives for the rehabilitation of power lines and other electricity infrastructure damaged during calamities such as Ompong.

Gatchalian instructed the NEA to “immediately activate the ECERF and prioritize the quick disbursement of emergency funds to electric cooperatives serving the areas most hard-hit by Ompong.”

“We will continue to monitor the normalization of the power supply in affected provinces so as to ensure the rapid recovery of our countrymen from this natural calamity,” he added.

In its latest power monitoring report, the NEA said that at least 2.2 million households in 334 municipalities and 7,160 barangays were adversely affected by Ompong.

Meanwhile, power has not been restored in 1.03 million households.

The NEW noted that a total of 23 electric cooperatives need to deal with tripped power lines and damage to their distribution facilities across Luzon. Damage is pegged at P138 million.

READ: Ilocos Norte still without power, communication links 

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Ompong is the strongest typhoon to hit in the country this year. It made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan at 1:40 a.m. on Saturday. /ee