CATARMAN,Northern Samar-The Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar First DEO has recently completed the construction of Php 6.92-million Multi-Purpose Building in Brgy. Palanit, San Isidro, Northern Samar.

Funded under FY 2022 General Appropriations Act, the multi-purpose building involves construction of multipurpose building (Phase 1), with a total floor area of 456.4 square meters. It also includes structural concrete works, and roofing works with complete accessories.

According to District Engineer Mario D. Villena the structure will serve as safer and conducive venue for social and recreational activities of local community and can also serve as an evacuation center during calamities.
(ANALIZA PABIA, PIO Alternate/PR)

NGCP successfully energized the PhP52-Billion Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project (MVIP), a landmark undertaking that will improve power stability and reliability across the country.

An initial load of 22.5 MegaWatts (MW) was carried by the high voltage submarine and overhead lines from Mindanao to Visayas during its energization on 30 April 2023. “We expect to gradually increase the MVIP’s transfer capacity to 50MW by mid-May, and 112MW by the end of the month, before energizing to its full transfer capacity of 450MW by the third quarter of this year,” the company explained.

The MVIP is comprised of a 184 circuit-kilometer (ckm) High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) submarine transmission line connecting the power grids of Mindanao and Visayas with a transfer capacity of 450MW expandable to as much as 900MW. The project also includes converter stations in both regions and more than 500ckm of overhead lines to facilitate the flow of electricity.

The MVIP will benefit consumers by providing them a more reliable and sustainable power transmission service that will lessen the instances of power interruptions. It will also promote energy resource sharing, as excess power generated in one region can now be transmitted to the other.

“The completion of the Mindanao-Visayas Interconnection Project is a significant achievement for us and for the Philippines as a whole. This will not only improve the reliability of our transmission services but will lead to efficient energy utilization as one Philippine grid,” said NGCP.

Parts of the MVIP were completed in 2022, such as the Lala-Aurora 138kV Transmission Line, the 350kV Submarine Cable, and Cable Terminal Stations in Santander, Cebu, and Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. NGCP expects to complete the remaining components of the project and ramp up the transfer capacity of the facility in the coming months.

“NGCP is committed to providing the Filipino people with a reliable transmission network which is the backbone of the nation’s development. The completion of the MVIP is a significant step towards achieving that goal,” NGCP stated. (PR)

Vessel loaded with 55,00 MT of nickel ore

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar– The refloating of a Chinese vessel carrying 55,000 metric tons of nickel ore that ran aground off Sulangan Island, this town, last April 19 would take some weeks to be completed.

This was disclosed by town Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan who said the refloating of the M/V Jhe Zai 168 is facing difficulties due to the strong current where it ran aground.
“The area where the M/V Jhe Zai 168 ran aground is where the mouth of the Pacific Ocean is. That is why, the divers are finding difficulties to refloat the vessel because of the strong current,” Gonzales-Kwan said on Tuesday (May 2).

She added that based on the information she received from the salvaging company, SMIT Salvage Singapore which has contracted its local partner Malayan Towage and Salvage Corp. based in Manila, the refloating of M/V Jhe Zai 168 might be completed on May 23.
The company also needs master divers for them to undertake the refloating of M/V Jhe Zai 168, manned by 21 Chinese crew, which ran around on April 19 after it experienced strong currents.

M/V Jhe Zai 169 where the 55,000 metric tons of nickel ore are to be loaded, arrived on Monday morning, the town mayor said.

The said vessel will then transport the minerals to China which has an estimated commercial value of more than P300 million, Gonzales-Kwan added.

Meantime, Gonzales-Kwan said that she demanded the salvor company to secure permits not only from the local government but from the Mines and Sciences Bureau, Bureau of Customs, and even from the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation as they are to undertake the salvaging operation.

She reasoned out that they are practically ‘doing business’ in Guiuan reason that the salvor company need to secure mayor and business permits, and from the mentioned government agencies saying another vessel manned with a different crew are present.

On top of this, Mayor Gonzales-Kwan is not discounting the possibility of filing damage claims for the possible destruction of coral reefs and sea grass due to the incident that took place last April 19.

“We will only learn the extent of the damage to our coral reefs and sea grass once the M/V Jhe Zai 168 is completely refloated. Surely, there is damage in our coral reefs and sea grass,” she said.

She, however, could not say just yet as to how much they will be claiming for damage as the amount will depend on the square meter damaged area.

A similar incident also occurred in August, 2021 where a Chinese vessel, M/V Ambition Journey, also ran aground in Sulangan Island and loaded with 49,000 nickel ore on its way to China due to engine trouble.

The local government unit was able to collect P11 million from the Emir Mineral Resource Corp. for the damage the vessel incurred to the coral reefs and seagrass.

The amount went to the local government at P5 million. P1 million to Sulangan village; and the remaining P5 million to the Protective Management Office.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)