“Help is on the way.“
Everyone was supposed to be in a celebratory mood entering the final two weeks of 2021. Until disaster struck. Typhoon Odette, one of the strongest typhoons to hit the country in recent years, devastated a large portion of the Visayas and Mindanao, destroying homes and plunging their areas into darkness. And probably, it will take months if not years for them to fully recover from the ravages brought about by Odette.
Come to imagine. While most of the people here in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon, specifically the Catholics, were busy preparing that fateful dawn of December 16, those in the path of Odette were in a mad rush to evacuate from their abodes, almost taking nothing with them.
And while we were basking in the glows of the neon lights adorning the streets this Christmas season, lighting up Christmas lights and lanterns right in our own homes, they were scavenging whatever they could salvage from the ruins of what they once called homes – all in total darkness.
And it is precisely for these reasons House Energy Committee chair, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo yesterday lauded the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines and others in the energy sector for their non-stop work in restoring power to areas ravaged Odette, lighting up homes in most areas just in time for their Christmas celebration.
“I would like to commend the NGCP and their people and all those in the energy sector who have been working tirelessly even in the holiday season when everyone is supposed to be spending time with their loved ones, to restore power for the areas rendered powerless by Typhoon Odette,” Arroyo said in a statement distributed to the media as he bared he has been in constant coordination with NGCP president Anthony Almeda, “discussing with him on expediting power restoration in areas affected by Odette to ensure people in those areas may at least have lighted homes during this season.”
“And they have delivered. Atty. Mutya Alabanza, NGCP’s corporate communication head, has been updating me at least three times a day on the progress of the power restoration,” he added.
As of December 27, NGCP bared power has already been restored in the provinces of Northern Samar; Eastern Samar; Samar; Biliran; Leyte; Cebu; Negros Occidental; Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.
Meanwhile, power was partially restored with full restoration expected before New Year in the provinces of Negros Oriental; and Surigao del Sur.
NGCP also bared that the 69lV line in Maasin-Baybay has been partially restored with full restoration expected by December 31.
Arroyo also cited power distribution utility Meralco for sending and deploying a 160-man contingent of engineers, linemen and support personnel, as well as vehicles, generator sets and heavy equipment to the typhoon ravaged Cebu and Bohol.
A total of 54 Meralco personnel are already assisting in power restoration activities in Cebu; while 31 out of 106 personnel are already deployed in Bohol.
Moreover, its power generating arm Meralco PowerGen Corporation and the Global Business Power Corporation also teamed up to provide 20,000 liters of diesel to help fuel the generator sets of PLDT and Smart.
Together with its corporate social responsibility arm, One Meralco Foundation, which likewise sent relief goods, Meralco continues to work closely with other local governments and electric cooperatives to speed up the restoration process.
Unfortunately, the following lines are still unavailable: (Visayas) Maasin-Nasaug-San Isidro; Ubay-Alicia-Garcia; Ubay-Trinidad-Carmen; Amlan-San Carlos; Mabinay-Bayawan; and (Mindanao) Placer-Madrid, although they are expected to be restored on or before December 31 at the latest.
But with the exception of Bohol, which was originally scheduled to have full power restored by December 31, was rescheduled for a later date.
Of course, having their homes lighted up this season (Or wherever they are staying now), may not equate to whatever they were planning or expecting for Christmas this year. We could not even tell them that having power restored in their areas is better than nothing as that would be the height of insensitivity, deserving condemnation in hell. Which reminds me of that infamous line from that infamous leader, “Buhay pa naman kayo di ba?”
But having that light in wherever they are staying now is a constant reminder for everyone hope awaits them. Help is on the way.
And together with Congressman Mikey Arroyo, we express our gratitude to NGCP, Meralco and all the others in the energy industry for giving them that light—that flicker of hope—that everything will soon turn fine for them.