In Metro Cebu, storm-weary power consumers get reprieve
NO BREAK This lineman of the Visayan Electric Company is among over 700 personnel and volunteers who are working nonstop even on Christmas Day to restore power in Metro Cebu that was knocked down by the powerful winds of Typhoon Odette (international name:Rai) on Dec. 16. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines — Power consumers in Metro Cebu still reeling from the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Odette” (international name: Rai) will get a month-and-a-half reprieve from paying their electric bills.
The Visayan Electric Co., the power distributor in Metro Cebu, said that even though power has been partly restored in its franchise area, its consumers would not be billed until the end of January next year, which is also the projected period within which electricity would be fully restored in the Cebu metropolitan area.
“There will be no collection from Dec. 16 to Jan. 31, 2022. We will start collections again in February,” said Raul Lucero, president and chief operation officer of Visayan Electric.
Lucero appealed to the public to be patient, saying Visayan Electric was doing everything to bring back power as soon as possible.
“It is easier to construct new [power lines and transformers] than to make repairs,” he said in a briefing here on Sunday.
Lucero said they would be able to fully energize Metro Cebu only by the end of January next year, as it would take more than a month to clear and restore power lines that have been toppled by strong winds when Odette lashed through Cebu island and many areas in the Visayas and Mindanao on Dec. 16.
“What we have is an estimate of when we will finish. The projection is based on the workforce we have now,” he said.
Round the clock
Visayan Electric currently has a total manpower of 725 personnel, which includes 216 organic linemen, 343 contractors and 166 volunteers from, among others, its sister company Davao Light and Power Co. and Manila Electric Co. These linemen have been working round the clock to replace or erect toppled posts and repair damaged lines, starting with those that only sustained minimal damage.
As of Sunday, Visayan Electric has restored power in at least 15.8 percent, or 74,920, of its 474,182 consumers in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Talisay and Naga; the southern towns of San Fernando and Minglanilla; and northern towns of Consolacion and Liloan.
Most of these are medical facilities (19 of 31 hospitals in Metro Cebu), water pumping stations of the Metro Cebu Water District (43 of 116), water pumps of Abejo Waters Corp. (eight of 31), government buildings and essential establishments.
Lucero said they expected to power 30 percent of their franchise area by New Year’s Eve, including all hospitals in Metro Cebu; 80 percent by Jan. 10 next year; and full restoration by Jan. 31, 2022.
