TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The province is hoping for a bright Christmas as crew from the Kalinga Electric Cooperative (KAELCO) are expediting the clearing and restoration of power lines damaged by Super Typhoon "Lawin" last week.
Annie Cascacio of KAELCO explained restoration of power in the whole province may take more than a month because of the heavy damages. Aside from the hundreds of fallen electric posts, service drops, which supply power to households were part of the heavily damaged lines.
Initial report from KAELCO showed a total of 393 electric posts were totally down - 213 in Tabuk City, 141 in Rizal, eight in Pinukpuk, one in Lubuagan, one in and Conner, and 30 in Apayao. There is no report yet from the towns of Balbalan and Tanudan.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines reported with the help of Aviation Group and 11 line crews from other areas in Northern Luzon, they hope to restore its main power supply to the area by October 31.
At the moment, offices, business establishments and residences depend on generator sets for their power.
In a related report, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer Richard Anniban said the national road leading to Pasil municipality is still closed due to massive landslides while clearing operation are ongoing many areas of upper Kalinga.
The Metro Manila Development Authority had sent a 50-member relief crew to assist in the disaster response operation in the province. They brought water-purifiers, clearing equipments and medical staff. (Larry Lopez/PIA – Kalinga)