Eastern Visayas power coops send linemen to Catanduanes

POST-TYPHOON AID. The linemen and equipment of Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II) in Tacloban City were deployed on Wednesday (Nov. 20, 2024) to Catanduanes for 20-day restoration works. Electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas sent 86 linemen to the province to help bring power back after Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi). (Photo courtesy of Leyeco II)

TACLOBAN CITY—Electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas sent 86 linemen to Catanduanes on Wednesday to help restore power after Super Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi).

Deployed under the Task Force Kapatid (brotherhood) Program, 43 of them are from Cebuano-speaking areas in the southern and western part of Leyte province, and the other 43 are from Waray-speaking Leyte and Samar provinces, the Leyte III Electric Cooperative (Leyeco III) said on its social media post.

“Our linemen aren’t just bringing their skills and expertise —they’re also bringing relief goods for the affected families. These include canned goods, rice, noodles, clean water, and clothes, all prepared with love and compassion by Leyeco III employees,” the electric cooperative (EC) said in a statement.

In a separate post by the Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative (Dorelco) based in Tolosa, Leyte, its linemen will stay in Catanduanes until Dec. 7 “to make sure the damaged power lines there are fixed and restored.”

“Before starting the preparation of the tools and some equipment, the Dorelco delegates offered a prayer for the task force,” the Dorelco said.

Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II) announced that they would help expedite the restoration efforts of the First Catanduanes EC for 20 days.

“With power lines and infrastructure severely damaged due to the onslaught of Super Typhoon Pepito [on] the island of Catanduanes last week, these brave men will be spending weeks away from their respective families to answer the call for help of our sister coop in the Bicol region,” Leyeco II said.

As recipients of the Task Force Kapatid Program after Super Typhoon Yolanda in 2013, ECs in the region are committed to helping distribution utilities ravaged by typhoons and other calamities.

ECs in the region are Dorelco, Leyeco II, Leyeco III, Leyeco IV, Leyeco V, Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative, Biliran Electric Cooperative, Northern Samar Electric Cooperative, Samar Electric Cooperative (Samelco) I, Samelco II and Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative.