Reliable power in sight
TACLOBAN CITY – A long-awaited upgrade in power reliability for Higatangan Island, Naval in Biliran is underway as the installation of a 4-kilometer submarine cable begins on Saturday, September 6, 2025.
Officials from the Biliran Electric Cooperative (Bileco), led by general manager Engr. Gerardo Oledan and the bids and awards committee (BAC), inspected the submarine cable on Tuesday, September 2, at the port of Naval to ensure compliance with project specifications.
“The purpose of today’s inspection is to check the cable’s physical appearance against the technical proposal. We double-checked the diameter, conductor size, and length to ensure everything matches the specifications,” said BAC chairman and technical manager Engr. Edrich Sacare.
The project, handled by Sub’Seatech Contracting Corporation in partnership with Fabmik Construction and Equipment Co., Inc., will link Jubay village in Calubian, Leyte to Mabini village in Higatangan Island. Though politically part of Naval town, Higatangan is geographically closer to Leyte’s mainland.
According to Sub’Seatech Technical Staff Dennis Plaza, cable laying could be finished within a day if weather conditions cooperate, while cable burial is expected to take 15 to 30 days.
Currently, Higatangan’s electricity is rationed to only eight hours daily, from 3 pm to 11 pm.
Once the submarine cable is fully operational, residents and local officials anticipate stable, round-the-clock power service—an improvement expected to boost both quality of life and economic opportunities in the island, which is steadily growing as a tourist destination.
The Higatangan Island Submarine Cable Project is part of ongoing efforts to expand power access in remote island communities and support sustainable development in Biliran province.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
