Power back in Cagayan, Isabela in 2 weeks

TALAVERA, NUEVA ECIJA— In less than two weeks, power lines toppled by Supertyphoon “Lawin” (international name: Haima) in Cagayan and Isabela provinces would be fully restored, thanks to service personnel deployed by rural electric cooperatives of four provinces.

About 100 linemen rebuilt the power systems in Cagayan Valley region that was severely devastated when Lawin struck two weeks ago, said Reynaldo Villanueva, president of the Central Luzon Electric Cooperatives Association (Cleca).

“They were sent there [a week] after Lawin destroyed various infrastructures [in the region], including facilities for electricity,” Villanueva said.

They will wrap up work on or before Nov. 18, said Villanueva, who presides over the board of directors of the Nueva Ecija Electric Cooperative II (Neeco II).

He said linemen and vehicles were sent by the rural electric cooperatives in Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pampanga and Zambales, as part of their Task Force Kapatid. They were joined by linemen from the Cabanatuan Electric Corp., the Dagupan Electric Corp. and the Tarlac Electric Inc.

Villanueva said 20 vehicles, including boom trucks, drove here on Oct. 26 for the “round-the-clock” work in affected areas, replacing or erecting toppled electric posts. —ANSELMO ROQUE