BORACAY – A local electric cooperative said nearly 85 percent of households and establishments in Aklan and northern Antique have electricity – three weeks after typhoon “Ursula” hit Western Visayas.
According to Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco), 122,194 out of 146,629 electric consumers have electricity in their households as of Jan. 15.
Engr. Joel Martinez, assistant general manager of Akelco, said 21 teams from Task Force Kapatid were stepping up measures to restore power in the remaining 24,000 households, including some parts of Ibajay, Nabas, Balete, Banga, Malinao, Buruanga, Malay, and New Washington in Aklan, towns of Pandan and Libertad in Antique and Barangay Damayan in Sapian, Capiz.
“Naiiba itong si typhoon Ursula kumpara sa typhoons Frank at Yolanda. Marami tayong nasirang poste sa mga barangay mula Altavas hanggang Boracay. Sapat ang ating mga poste at linya sa ganitong mga bagyo upang kaagad na ma-restore ang kuryente sa mga apektadong lugar,” Martinez said.
Last Dec. 25, “Ursula” toppled 1,488 electric posts of Akelco and left over 500,000 residents without electricity.
Martinez acknowledged the help of line workers from Cebu, Antique, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte, Iloilo, Misamis Oriental, Bohol, Northern Negros, Misamis Occidental, and Zamboanga del Sur with the National Electrification Administration and the Power Restoration Deployment Task Force.
“Itong mga linemen ay nandito sa Aklan simula ng Dec. 26 at hindi nakauwi sa kanilang mga pamilya dahil nais nila tayong matulungan at ma-rehabilitate ang linya ng Akelco,” Martinez said.
He added Akelco is committed to achieve 100-percent power restoration in affected areas this month.
“Kailangan natin ang tulong ng mga residente at opisyal ng mga barangay upang mapabilis ang restoration. Ipagpatuloy natin ang bayanihan spirit lalong-lalo na sa mga sitio,” he said.
As of Jan. 15, the electric cooperative reported P138 million initial cost of damage. It is expected to go higher as Akelco has yet to fully determine the extent of typhoon Ursula’s devastation.(With a report from Akean Forum/PN)
