General santos city: 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.
According to Philippines News Agency, 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. The Task Force Kapatid, comprised of 184 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 challenges such as 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 reported 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 managed to restore electricity service to nearly all affected areas in less than 10 days, an achievement that could have taken several months under normal circumstances given the extent of the damage. NPC President and Chief Executive Officer Jericho Jonas Nograles noted that 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. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin highlighted the collaboration among electric cooperatives from across Mindanao, emphasizing their shared resources, expertise, and manpower to help affected communities recover faster.
Garin also stressed the importance of strengthening the resilience of the country's energy infrastructure, in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to build back better following major disasters. She mentioned that every disaster offers valuable lessons on making energy systems stronger and more resilient, and the DOE is pursuing long-term measures to reduce vulnerabilities and ensure quicker recovery from future disruptions.
Among these initiatives is NEA's pilot underground cabling project in Naga City, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways and the local government. This project aims to place electric and telecommunications lines underground along a major corridor serving educational institutions and commercial establishments, supporting broader urban improvement efforts including bicycle lanes and solar-powered street lighting.
