By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur— The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has reactivated Task Force Kapatid (TFK) and deployed linemen to restore electricity to 803,230 consumer connections affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook Sarangani and surrounding provinces in Southern Mindanao.
NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda convened an emergency meeting with member electric cooperatives under the Association of Mindanao Rural Electric Cooperatives (AMRECO) to coordinate immediate response efforts, mobilize additional equipment, and fast-track restoration plans—especially for critical facilities like hospitals.
A command center has been established at South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SOCOTECO II)in Barangay Apopong, General Santos City, serving as the central hub for the ongoing power restoration operations.
According to the NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (DRRMD), three cooperatives—SOCOTECO II, Sultan Kudarat Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SUKELCO), and South Cotabato I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (SOCOTECO I)—are currently under total power interruption, while Northern Davao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (NORDECO) reports partial outages. Meanwhile, 16 other electric cooperatives continue normal operations, keeping 269 of 308 affected municipalities energized.
Linemen and technical teams from the Agusan del Sur Electric Cooperative (ASELCO) and NORDECO have already been dispatched to assist quake-hit areas, reinforcing local crews under TFK’s coordinated response framework.
Task Force Kapatid is NEA’s emergency mutual-aid program, allowing electric cooperatives from unaffected regions to provide manpower, equipment, and technical assistance to counterparts struck by disasters.
NEA emphasized that restoration efforts are underway with urgency, prioritizing safety while working to bring power back to the hardest-hit areas as quickly as possible.
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