324 Albay villages still without electricity a month after ‘Glenda’

LEGAZPI CITY—Over a month after Typhoon “Glenda” struck Bicol region, power restoration is continuing in Albay, with most of the rural areas still without electricity.

Only 324 villages, mainly in urban areas, of 718 villages in Albay have been energized, according to Jane Rogando, spokesperson of Albay Power and Energy Corp. (Apec).

It would have been slower without help from about a dozen electric companies and cooperatives from across the country, Rogando said.

The power restoration work under Task Force Glenda is being done by Apec with volunteer linemen coming from electric cooperatives from Central Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Peninsula and Zambales. Also helping are Manila Electric Co. and power companies under the Aboitiz Group.

Rogando said the business centers and urban villages of the three cities and 15 municipalities of Albay have all been energized and Apec hoped to fully restore power in Albay by the first week of September.

A list released by Apec showed that, to date, only Legazpi City has most of its power restored, with just 9 of its 70 villages still without

electricity.

According to the Apec list, in the town of Bacacay, only 12 of the 56 villages in the town of Bacacay have electricity; Malilipot—9 of 18 villages; Malinao—11 of 29; Sto. Domingo—11 of 23; Tabaco City—23 of 47; Tiwi 6 of 25; Camalig—23 of 49; Daraga—36 of 53; Legazpi City—61 of 70; Manito—1 of 15; Rapu-Rapu—2 of 34; Guinobatan—26 of 44; Jovellar—9 of 23; Libon—9 of 47; Ligao City—36 of 55; Oas—19 of 53; Pio Duran—7 of 33; and Polangui—23 of 44.