The electricity services in General Santos City and across the SOCOTECO II franchise area have been substantially restored less than two weeks after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southern Mindanao, the Department of Energy (DOE) said.
In a statement Monday, the DOE attributed the immediate restoration to the coordinated efforts of the DOE, National Electrification Administration (NEA), National Power Corporation, Task Force Kapatid, electric cooperatives, private sector stakeholders and local government units.
DOE said the Task Force Kapatid, which is composed of 184 task force members from 26 electric cooperatives, helped restore power to around 95 percent of affected consumers in General Santos City within 72 hours.
In Sarangani, restoration teams overcame damaged roads, landslides and critical infrastructure disruptions, including the relocation of a damaged 69-kilovolt transmission line in less than 48 hours.
NEA Administrator Antonio Almeda said that as of June 18, energization across the SOCOTECO II franchise area had reached 99 percent, allowing households, businesses, schools, hospitals and other essential facilities to resume normal operations.
According to the DOE, the restoration teams were able to restore electricity service to nearly all affected areas in less than 10 days, an achievement that under normal circumstances and given the extent of the damage, could have taken several months to complete.
NPC President and Chief Executive Officer Jericho Jonas Nograles said the Kalamansig Diesel Power Plant resumed operations just 80 minutes after the earthquake, while power services in Sarangani Island were substantially restored by June 21.
In Balut Island, power provider PSPI achieved full energization across all constituent barangays on June 18, except for a small number of isolated and severely damaged homes.
"The swift restoration of electricity in General Santos and Sarangani reflects the strength of our energy family. Electric cooperatives from across Mindanao came together to share resources, expertise, and manpower to help affected communities recover faster. Their dedication and spirit of cooperation allowed us to restore power in days despite the significant challenges brought about by the earthquake," Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said.
Garin, meanwhile, underscored the importance of strengthening the resilience of the country's energy infrastructure in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive to build back better following major disasters.
"Every disaster provides valuable lessons on how we can make our energy systems stronger and more resilient. Guided by the President's directive, we are pursuing long-term measures that will help reduce vulnerabilities and ensure that communities can recover more quickly from future disruptions," she said.
Among these initiatives is NEA's pilot underground cabling project in Naga City, which is being undertaken in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the local government.
The project seeks to place electric and telecommunications lines underground along a major corridor serving educational institutions and commercial establishments, while supporting broader urban improvement efforts that include bicycle lanes and solar-powered street lighting.
