Once an ailing power cooperative in EV

CATARMAN, Northern Samar-In line with the government’s effort to bring dependable and affordable electricity in the countryside, Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco) has lowered its power rate from P12.27 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to P9.38/kWh effective February this year.
Engr. Hector Tabilisma, Norsamelco general manager, said the 23 percent discount equivalent to P2.85/kWh is attributed to the commencement of a long-term power supply contract procured through Competitive Selection Process (CSP) conducted in 2015 including the 10 electric cooperatives in the region.
“The current power rate is affordable, secure, and reliable that will greatly enhance the investment climate and attract investors,” said Tabilisma.
Tabilisma informed that the power supply contract with GN Power Dinginin Ltd. Company will be for a period of 15 years and the consumers are assured of adequate and dependable power supply.
He pointed out that despite the absence of a board whose members irrevocably resigned on August 2013 following allegations of mismanagement and corruption, the cooperative under the stewardship of the National Electrification Administration (NEA), has steadily climbed up to its current rating of A from D, meaning an ailing electric cooperative in 2014.
The level of operating performance of the cooperatives is assessed and rated by NEA with triple A as the highest and D as the lowest, he said.
Tabilisma is hopeful that Norsamelco, under his leadership, will achieve the highest and unprecedented rating of “AAA” for its 2018 performance for attaining a single digit systems loss of 9.16 percent and a collection rate of 100 percent.
The cooperative was able to restructure its overdue power account with the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation and started paying the monthly amortization of P6.28 million sourced from the cooperative savings since November 2018.
(NBQ/TBC/PIA-8, Northern Samar)

TACLOBAN CITY – The province of Leyte has produced the highest volume of fishery production in the 4th quarter of 2018, a report from the regional office of the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA) said.
Wilma Perante, PSA regional director, said that among the region’s provinces, Leyte produced the highest volume of fisheries at 9,585 metric tons (MT), comprising 31.5 percent of the total fishery production in the region.
Samar ranked second at 7,650 MT, accounting for 25.1 percent of the region’s total fishery production. Biliran, meanwhile registered 1,227 MT, the lowest volume of production which shared 4.0 percent only.
Perante reported that the fishing industry of the region posted a 3.9 percent increase in production during the 4th quarter of 2018.
“The total fish production in the region went up to 30,461 metric tons (MT) during the 4th quarter of 2018 from 29,306 MT in the same quarter of 2017,” she said.
Perante also reported that Eastern Visayas accounted for 2.5 percent of the country’s total fishery production during the 4th quarter of 2018.
“It ranked sixth among the regions with low fishery production in the country. Volume of production in commercial fishing went up by 6.4 percent, from 2,672 MT in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 2,844 MT in the same quarter of 2018,” she said.
Perante said that all provinces registered increases in commercial fishing, except Southern Leyte, which recorded a decline of 51.6 percent.
Leyte recorded the highest increase of 74.7 percent, from 106 MT in the fourth quarter of 2017 to 186 MT in the same quarter of 2018.
Similarly, volume of production in municipal fishing (marine and inland) registered an increase of 5.8 percent, from 18,135 MT in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 19,179 MT in the same of 2018.
“Among provinces Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte registered growths in production of 42.1 percent, 18.8 percent, and 6.8 percent, respectively. Decreases, meanwhile, were observed in Leyte (23.7 percent), Eastern Samar (19.5 percent), and Biliran (3.5 percent), the source said.
Leyte produced the highest volume of aquaculture at 7,294 MT accounting for 86.5 percent of the region’s total aquaculture production, she added.
On the other hand, Perante said, the volume of production in aquaculture showed a slight decline of 0.7 percent, from 8,499 MT in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 8,437 MT in the same quarter of 2018.
Among the provinces, Samar, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte recorded increases in production at 96.6 percent, 23.1 percent, and 16.7 percent, respectively.
Eastern Samar recorded the largest decrease in production of 31.2 percent, from 198 MT in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 136 MT in the 4th quarter of 2018, she said.
More than half or 63.0 percent (19,179 MT) of the total fishery production in the region were from municipal fishing. Aquaculture contributed 27.7 percent (8,437MT), while commercial fishing accounted for 9.3 percent (2,844 MT), Perante said. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

Expected to lure in more tourists, investments

NAVAL, Biliran – One of the tourist island destinations of this town will now have a 24- hour power supply which is projected to result in more tourists coming to the area.
The Higatangan Micro Grid was formally opened on March 8 that will provide electricity to the entire island which has become one of this town’s top tourist draws.
Edgardo Masongsong, administrator of the National Electrification Administration (NEA), who led the inauguration, said that its full operation would mean more opportunities for the people of the island.
“Few investors are putting up businesses in this island because on the problem on power supply. But now that electricity is here, we expect more businessmen to come in and invest in the island particularly in tourism related establishments to cater local and foreign tourist,” Masongsong said.
Higatangan Microgrid is a P15.21 million worth electrification project through the donation of South Korean government and ELT Co. Ltd that includes equipment: 10-KW power solar panel photovoltaic, 50-KW power control system, 50-KV diesel generator, and 20-KWH plus 16-KWH extra energy storage system.
The Biliran Electric Cooperative (Bileco), as a counterpart, purchased the lot where the micro-grid was erected.
The island, famous for its ‘shifting’ sand bar, has two villages, Mabini and Legaspi whose residents welcome the operation of its own power supply.
Legaspi village chairman Milluh Roble said that the microgrid is an answer to their prayer to have a reliable supply of electricity.
“As the leader of the village, let me say thank you in behalf of the constituents for this project that will give us a wonderful opportunity,” Roble said.
Rosita Salazar, caretaker of Higatangan Island Beach Resort, said that the full energization on the island would result to more tourist bookings to their resort.
“We have a website where tourists can book online. But since there is no electricity on the island, the booking is checked online by the owner who resides in Canada then she will call or send a message in mobile phone if there are reservation,” she said.
Masongsong said that improving the life of every Filipino is among the main goals of the present administration under its Ambisyon Natin 2040 that represents the collective long-term vision and aspirations of the Filipino people for themselves and for the country in the next 25 years.
This goal of the national government is in line with the target of electric cooperative that is rural electrification to spur rural development.
Although the ceremonial switch-on was already done by the NEA officials and the management of Bileco headed by its general manager Gerardo Oledan, the island will continue to have a 5-hour power supply everyday due to technical problem on the micro-grid equipment but the Korean technicians will arrive next month correct the problem for the island residents to finally experience the 24-hour power supply.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Lack of water supply continue to hunt the families living at the resettlement sites located at the northern part of this city.
Lack of water has been one of the complaints of the families since they were resettled at the sites by the government.
These families lost their houses after this city was pummelled by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ five years ago.
At the St. Francis Village I, located in Barangay Kawayan, the scarcity of water in their area forced many of the residents to dig grounds just to have water supply.
Nenita Lazara, one of the residents, said while the city government delivers water at their area, the supply is still not enough for their daily needs.
They are seeking help with the city government under Mayor Cristina Romualdez to have them a steady supply of water. (ROSALIO ABORQUEZ, RUTCHEL ALPINO, JUSTIN JOYCE GARCIA, MYLA LOYOLA, JOELLYN POLILLO, EVSU Student Interns)

CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON,PALO, Leyte- A total of 260 police recruits have taken their oath of office administered by Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos, police regional director.
The activity was held after the flag raising ceremony held on Monday (March 11) at the grounds held here, the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police.
According to Carlos, the new police men were part of the 1,028 applicants covering the quota for the first quarter of the year.
He added that of the 200 recruits,62 of them were endorsed to the PNP Headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City wherein they will be given opportunity to commence their training to different regions nationwide.
Carlos said that these new breed of police officers will undergo the mandatory training, the Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC) for six months at the Regional Training Center (RTC) at Kuta Kankabato, San Jose, Tacloban City which will be followed by another six months of field training program (FTP).
“Today is a new chapter of your lives. May this serve as your humble beginning in the PNP organization,” Carlos said.
Carlos advises interested applicants to secure the necessary initial documentary requirements while waiting for the opening of the 2nd Cycle Recruitments which is still to be announced by the Directorate for Personnel and Records Management.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)