TACLOBAN CITY – Power has been fully restored in Eastern Visayas after the devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck Bogo City, Cebu, on Tuesday night, October 1, and was felt across the region, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) announced.

In an advisory, NGCP reported that the Leyte-Samar sub-grid was completely restored by 7:12 p.m., ensuring stable electricity supply in the region despite several transmission lines in other parts of the Visayas remaining out of service.

The earthquake had earlier forced four power plants to shut down, cutting off 348.2 megawatts from the supply. On the transmission side, the Tabango-Kananga 230kV Line 1 was restored at 9:18 p.m., but other major lines remain offline, including the Daanbantayan-Tabango and Daanbantayan-Compostela 230kV Lines, as well as the Leyte-Luzon 350kV High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Line.

The Visayas grid was briefly placed on yellow alert after reserves fell below the required level. This was lifted at 9:00 p.m. once available capacity reached 2,239 megawatts against a peak demand of 1,950 megawatts.

A yellow alert is declared when the operating margin is insufficient to meet the contingency requirements of the transmission grid.

NGCP assured that transmission services in the Visayas grid are now under normal operations, with restoration work continuing on remaining affected facilities.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Eastern Visayas commended all 149 local government units (LGUs) in the region for being fully compliant with the Full Disclosure Policy (FDP) covering the 2nd to 4th quarters of 2024 and the 1st quarter of 2025.

The FDP requires LGUs to make financial documents available in at least three public places and in the FDP Portal to ensure constituents are informed on how local budgets are allocated, disbursed, and utilized.

DILG said the region’s 100 percent compliance reflects the LGUs’ commitment to transparency and accountability.

The policy also plays a vital role in national performance assessments, particularly the Good Financial Housekeeping (GFH) and the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) under the Financial Administration and Sustainability Governance Area.

The DILG added that such compliance boosts public trust in local governments and demonstrates Region 8’s continuing advocacy for good governance practices.

Eastern Visayas, composed of six provinces, 136 municipalities, seven cities, and six provincial governments, has consistently been cited in recent years for improving governance standards.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Following the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to prioritize the safety and welfare of calamity-affected communities, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), under Secretary Rex Gatchalian, has taken the lead in delivering immediate assistance to families devastated by Typhoon Opong.

The powerful weather disturbance struck parts of the Visayas late last week, leaving behind damaged houses, displaced families, and casualties in its wake. To address urgent humanitarian needs, the DSWD, in coordination with the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), local government units (LGUs), and other partner agencies, has been mobilizing aid across affected provinces.

As of midday on October 1, the agency has distributed 42,906 family food packs, 400 ready-to-eat meals, 704 non-food relief items, and P665,000 in cash assistance. The total value of support provided has reached P27,173,508.73.

The “Angels in Red Vests,” as DSWD’s frontline responders are known, continue to be deployed in hard-hit areas to ensure that survivors’ immediate needs are addressed while helping communities transition toward recovery.

This whole-of-nation approach underscores the government’s commitment to work in solidarity with local stakeholders and humanitarian partners in delivering timely aid, building resilience, and restoring hope to families impacted by Typhoon Opong.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Eighteen linemen from the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II), known as the ‘ Warriors of Light’, have been sent to Northern Samar to help restore electricity in areas left in the dark by Severe Tropical Storm ‘Opong’ (international name: Bualoi).

Two batches of line crews, riding four service vehicles, were dispatched to the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Norsamelco)—the first on October 1 and the second on October 2. Their mission will focus on backbone line rehabilitation in the island municipality of San Antonio, one of the hardest-hit areas, and is expected to last eight days.

Opong battered parts of Eastern Visayas late last week, toppling power lines and severely damaging infrastructure that cut off electricity to thousands of households. Northern Samar was among the provinces that suffered widespread outages.

Leyeco II commended the sacrifice of its linemen, who left their families to assist communities in need. “Long live our Warriors of Light who sacrifice to bring hope and light to communities struck by calamity,” the cooperative said in a message of support.

The deployment reflects the continuing tradition of bayanihan among electric cooperatives in the Visayas and their commitment to help one another quickly restore power in the aftermath of natural disasters.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)