AKELCO 3 Priority
Rehabilitation Approaches
On June 21, 2008, immediately after the weather calmed, flood subsided, the damages known, there were no water, no electricity, no communication network. There were muds. Destructions were assessed.
On Monday, June 23, relief goods kept coming to Aklan. It came from kind hearted citizens of Aklan, from fellow Filipinos, organizations and from abroad. Food came in the form of rice, canned goods, water, used clothings, blankets, candles and others. There was solidarity demonstrated by public officials.
Top government officials visited Aklan such as Sen. Mar Roxas, PGMA who came on July 1 and 2, Senators Richard Gordon, Loren Legarda, Bong Revilla, Migs Zubiri, Manny Villar, Jinggoy Estrada and some members of the cabinet, their bureau and regional directors. They all came to assess the damages with relief assistance and promises for rehabilitation after typhoon Frank lashed Aklan.
Makati Mayor Jojemar Binay and former president Erap Estrada came to Aklan. MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando came and sent his MMDA Mercy Mission to Kalibo which was composed of 35 heavy engineering equipment and its respective crew. They arrived on June 25 and left Kalibo July 21. They cleared Kalibo with mud and debris, declogged the drainage system of Kalibo and cut falling trees. They demonstrated valuable work attitude and habit to the Aklanons. Before they left, Mr. Aldo Mayor, their team leader gave his observation and recommendation to improve life in Kalibo or Aklan. Before they left for home, the MMDA Mercy Mission imprinted its greatness to the hearts and minds of the Aklanons.
There was a total black out. There was total darkness on Saturday evening, June 21. When PGMA visited Aklan, Mr. Chito Peralta, general manager assured her, Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) electric services will be 100 percent restored on July 25. He gave himself one month to repair the damage.
In an announcement over the radio when radio broadcasting resumed, Mr. Peralta informed the radio audience of his three priority approaches in the restoration of Akelco services to the consumers, thus: first – backbone line; second – trunkline; and third – those in the interior. Is the priority followed? Your own observation is the best answer. The tendency for those whose electricity was restored will believe Mgr. Peralta. There are those whose electricity were even earlier restored will doubt Mr. Peralta for one, two or three reasons.
As of July 28, 2008, in a telephone interview with Engr. Rogen Delos Reyes, asst. general mgr. of Akelco, he said 97 percent of the electric consumers are now having electric services. This means out of some 91,240 Akelco subscribers, 2,748 are still in total darkness. Are you one of these three (3) percent? This data mentioned above coming from one of the top officials of Akelco cannot be contested. It is only the actual condition in the field which will refute the statistics stated above. How many percent of the houses of the Municipality of Numancia are still in total darkness such as in Badio, Bubog, Camanci Sur and Norte? There are barangays where houses are all served with electricity. There are several isolated houses which electric services were earlier restored. Thanks to the Akelco, they were served ahead. This is a deviation of the three priority approaches in electric power restoration mgr. Peralta first announced.
On Monday, June 23, relief goods kept coming to Aklan. It came from kind hearted citizens of Aklan, from fellow Filipinos, organizations and from abroad. Food came in the form of rice, canned goods, water, used clothings, blankets, candles and others. There was solidarity demonstrated by public officials.
Top government officials visited Aklan such as Sen. Mar Roxas, PGMA who came on July 1 and 2, Senators Richard Gordon, Loren Legarda, Bong Revilla, Migs Zubiri, Manny Villar, Jinggoy Estrada and some members of the cabinet, their bureau and regional directors. They all came to assess the damages with relief assistance and promises for rehabilitation after typhoon Frank lashed Aklan.
Makati Mayor Jojemar Binay and former president Erap Estrada came to Aklan. MMDA chairman Bayani Fernando came and sent his MMDA Mercy Mission to Kalibo which was composed of 35 heavy engineering equipment and its respective crew. They arrived on June 25 and left Kalibo July 21. They cleared Kalibo with mud and debris, declogged the drainage system of Kalibo and cut falling trees. They demonstrated valuable work attitude and habit to the Aklanons. Before they left, Mr. Aldo Mayor, their team leader gave his observation and recommendation to improve life in Kalibo or Aklan. Before they left for home, the MMDA Mercy Mission imprinted its greatness to the hearts and minds of the Aklanons.
There was a total black out. There was total darkness on Saturday evening, June 21. When PGMA visited Aklan, Mr. Chito Peralta, general manager assured her, Aklan Electric Cooperative (Akelco) electric services will be 100 percent restored on July 25. He gave himself one month to repair the damage.
In an announcement over the radio when radio broadcasting resumed, Mr. Peralta informed the radio audience of his three priority approaches in the restoration of Akelco services to the consumers, thus: first – backbone line; second – trunkline; and third – those in the interior. Is the priority followed? Your own observation is the best answer. The tendency for those whose electricity was restored will believe Mgr. Peralta. There are those whose electricity were even earlier restored will doubt Mr. Peralta for one, two or three reasons.
As of July 28, 2008, in a telephone interview with Engr. Rogen Delos Reyes, asst. general mgr. of Akelco, he said 97 percent of the electric consumers are now having electric services. This means out of some 91,240 Akelco subscribers, 2,748 are still in total darkness. Are you one of these three (3) percent? This data mentioned above coming from one of the top officials of Akelco cannot be contested. It is only the actual condition in the field which will refute the statistics stated above. How many percent of the houses of the Municipality of Numancia are still in total darkness such as in Badio, Bubog, Camanci Sur and Norte? There are barangays where houses are all served with electricity. There are several isolated houses which electric services were earlier restored. Thanks to the Akelco, they were served ahead. This is a deviation of the three priority approaches in electric power restoration mgr. Peralta first announced.
The Delay
Akelco is not able to comply its target date of completion of July 25. According to Engr. Rogen Delos Reyes, the delay is brought about by the inclement weather condition, the delay in the arrival of materials and fatigue of the Akelco personnel. Akelco also lost some 5,000 electric meters due to flood, thieves and some were damaged, Delos Reyes pointed. Akelco installed 547 posts and about 25,000 meters electric wires, added Delos Reyes. But electric cooperative from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao came and helped Akelco. They even went home two weeks ago after completing their assignments like ORMECO.
On the other hand, some observers agree Akelco may have accomplished the 100 percent electric power restoration if Akelco followed strictly its program of priority. There are observations that some Akelco teams spent more time and effort by moving around. Some observers revealed, the repair crew repaired one, two-seven electrical connections, then moved out thereby spending more travel time, manpower and fuel. Management could have adhered to its rehabilitation priority.
Engr. Delos Reyes, personally confided he learned several lessons in this calamity Frank brought to Aklan. May he and his staff values it and profit from it for the project. Before we stopped the telephone interview, he voluntarily offered to reconnect power line to residential houses in Badio immediately.
True to his words, electricity was restored to the houses of my neighbors and in my house. Some seven (7) houses were connected to the Akelco line by five Akelco men in about 1/2 hour. After which, they left even some neighbors requested them to also reconnect them to the supply of electricity. But no, they hurriedly left, I was told. When I came home from office that evening I was delighted to learn electricity is restored to my house.
Thank you Engr. Rogen Delos Reyes. You are true to your words. /MP
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