ORMOC CITY—Residents in Leyte and the rest of Eastern Visayas will have to wait until the end of the month before power will be fully restored.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi told President Duterte during a briefing here on Thursday afternoon that full power restoration would be done by end of July based on the briefings given to him by the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) and the National Grid Corp. Philippines (NGCP).
But starting July 16, he added, 40 megawatts would be released to the Visayas grid and another 90 MW by July 19.
“Power restoration has been ongoing. By July 16, 40 MW will be dispatched to Leyte. By July 19, there will be an additional 90 MW. So all in all, 130 MW. By July 31, it will be full restoration of power,” Cusi said.
Eastern Visayas, which composed of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, needs at least 210 MW.
The region has been reeling of the power blackout since the earthquake which, according to the National Economic Development Authority regional director Bonifacio Uy, resulted in daily economic loses by at least P300 million.
Cusi earlier promised that power would be restored by July 17 after the EDC expected that repairs on their geothermal power plants in Ormoc City would be completed 10 days after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake shook Leyte on July 6.
EDC earlier planned to bring back the delivery of 317 MW by July 16 – about half of the aggregate capacity of 625 MW from its geothermal power plants, which include the 180-MW Mahanagdong plant, 213-MW Malitbog plant, 120-MW Mahiao plant, and the 112.5 MW Tongonan plant.
President Duterte arrived in Ormoc at 4:36 p.m., almost three hours late of his scheduled arrival at 1:30 p.m.
He was with several Cabinet officials who briefed him of the relief assistance given by individual agencies in Ormoc and Kananga town, which were badly hit by the quake.
Mr. Duterte was happy with the government’s response.
“I am satisfied of the intervention of the government here after the earthquake. You have shown to the people that they have a functioning government and ready to serve our people. Corruption has no place in my government, never,” he said.
The President directed Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to hasten the release of needed funds to help in the immediate repair of damage on public structures by the earthquake.
Mayor Gomez expressed his gratitude to the President for visiting his city because Mr. Duterte’s presence would boost the people’s morale that the government was here to help them recover from the disaster.
The President returned to Manila by 5:46 p.m.