TIRELESS WORKERS Visayan Electric Co. linemen are joined by volunteers from Manila Electric Co. as they work tirelessly even on Christmas Day to replace posts toppled at the height of Typhoon “Odette” on Dec. 16 and restore electricity in Metro Cebu. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City will not be providing incentives for linemen working to restore the power in the 80 barangays in the city.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city cannot afford to provide incentives to linemen or telecommunication company (telco) workers as of now for the restoration because of the lack of funds.
“No, no. We will rather give it to the people. Kuwang ang kwarta kung moestorya ta nga ang kwarta nga gikinahanglan karon dayon especially kanang para sa singko mil,” said the mayor.
The city has yet to distribute the P5,000 aid to at least 62 barangays. Only 18 barangays were provided the aid so far, with the second batch to start distribution on February 3 to 5, 2022.
The mayor said the city will focus its limited funds on the suffering residents for now.
The City Council has already allocated P1 billion for typhoon response in December 2021, with at least P600 million was allocated for financial aid and P50 million allotted to the restoration of public infrastructure.
Rama also wants to be appraised of the current restoration efforts of Visayan Electric and the telcos in the barangays.
He is aware that the power utility did not reach its target of reenergizing the entirety of its service area on January 31, 2022.
It was only able to reenergize 428,003 out of the 474,182 consumers within their franchise area from San Fernando town in the South to Liloan town in the north.
“I want to know how far they are in Cebu City. I will meet them in a meeting. I cannot say anything until I have the data,” said the mayor when asked if he is satisfied with the restoration efforts of the power utility.
The mayor has also given the telcos until February 24, the Charter Day of the City, to clear their broken wires and posts around the city.
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