The National Electrification Administration (NEA) and Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (Philreca) activated Task Force Kapatid (TFK) over the weekend to aid in the rehabilitation efforts of calamity-hit Batanes Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BATANELCO).

At least 17 linemen and two engineers from the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD) were deployed Saturday morning, 05 October 2024, to support the workers of BATANELCO, who are dealing with the effects of Super Typhoon ‘Julian.’

The additional manpower was provided by the Northeast Luzon Electric Cooperative Association, Inc. (NELECA) from the Cagayan Valley region, including Isabela (ISELCO I and II), Cagayan (CAGELCO I and II), Nueva Vizcaya (NUVELCO), and Quirino (QUIRELCO).

BATANELCO General Manager Victoria Mata welcomed the teams and hosted lunch upon their arrival. Thereafter, the visiting task force members were briefed about their respective assignments.

Also present were BATANELCO Technical Services Department (TSD) Manager Donald Poncio with engineers, Institutional Services Department (ISD) Manager Marilys Ponce and Corporate Planning (CorPlan) Supervisor Lynne Zhaine Gonzales to provide additional information.

The NEA-DRRMD together with the TSD and CorPlan personnel are expected to conduct damage assessment in the remaining areas of Batanes, which have not yet been inspected. BATANELCO was the hardest-hit EC during the onslaught of the recent storm.

Based on the updated monitoring report issued on Saturday, BATANELCO continues to experience power interruptions with 6,329 consumers affected, particularly in the municipalities of Ivana, Mahatao and Uyugan.

Electricity services for the towns of Sabtang and Basco were partially restored while the municipality of Itbayat resumed normal operations. BATANELCO said it incurred P19.588-million initial cost of damage in the aftermath of ‘Julian.’ ###