Some 50 linemen from various electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas will be spending Christmas and New Year’s Day away from their families to extend assistance in the restoration of power lines in Bohol after Typhoon Odette swept through the province and toppled power lines.

Leyte Electric Cooperative (Leyeco) 5 secretary Junrey Nahimi said the linemen from electric cooperatives in Eastern Visayas and also from Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte will conduct operations in Bohol until January 15, 2022.

The augmentation team will be comprised of personnel from Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative, Camarines Sur Electric Cooperative, Samar I Electric Cooperative (SAMELCO I), Samar II Electric Cooperative (SAMELCO II), Eastern Samar Electric Cooperative (ESAMELCO) , Leyte V Electric Cooperative, (LEYECO V) and Don Orestes Romualdez Electric Cooperative (DORELCO).

“Ana ra na sila magstay for the whole duration sa ilang operations,” said Nahimi.

The team will be taking with them boom trucks, service vehicles and various equipment.

According to Nahimi, electric cooperatives under the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (Philreca) Inc. are known organize the deployment of their personnel to assist their fellow members who have been affected by calamities.

“Kaning mga contingent na among ipada sa Bohol member na sila tanan sa Philreca. Other than Bohol, naa pud miy gi-augment sa Southern Leyte,” said Nahimi.

More linemen and other technicians from other provinces are expected to be deployed to Bohol in the forthcoming days.

On Thursday, Manila-based Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor, sent a 30-man team to the province to extend assistance to the Bohol Light Company, Inc. in its restoration efforts in Tagbilaran City. (A. Doydora)