BOHECO I targets 100% reconnection by April 30

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, March 29 (PIA) -- At the current rate that Bohol Electric Cooperative I (BOHECO 1) is fixing its storm-damaged lateral lines and re-tapping drop wire lines to household subscribers, its catchment area would be fully reconnected before the fiesta season comes.

This is what BOHECO 1 shared in its "Bayanihan in Action: The Super Typhoon Odette Power Restoration Efforts" report some 102 days after typhoon Odette.

By April 30, at least, BOHECO 1 said all its lateral lines should be up and energized or receiving power which has already been available as of Feb. 9.

If by that time, households have been inspected by an accredited electrician and are certified to receive the supply, then, BOHECO 1 could then tap and get the house ready for the fiesta month of May.

Households needing to get the power supply should have re-erected their fallen drop wire posts, re-strung the loosened cables, and called an electrician to prepare the certification by now.

In its report on March 28, the distribution utility that services the power distribution to 26 of Bohol’s 47 towns and one city, the power cooperative reported 65% restoration of its damaged poles, which were either snapped in two or simply pushed out of shape, to merit technical restoration.

BOHECO 1 declared 4,991 poles damaged when the typhoon Odette ravaged the service area despite the eye of the storm largely hitting the northeastern part of the island.

As of March 28, a total of 3,262 poles were restored out of 4,991 damaged poles, BOHECO 1 said in a press release.

As early as 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2021, BOHECO 1 was cut off the grid when the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) shut down the 128-kilovolt line supplying Bohol from Leyte due to a technical trouble in the submarine cable receiving station in President Carlos P. Garcia.

A few hours later, its special towers that string the high voltage lines from Leyte crashed in the face of gale force winds brought by the typhoon.

This covered the entire island in darkness.

The day after the storm, BOHECO 1 geared up clearing and immediate restoration over lines that can be critical in supplying power to its substations, when such power is available.

A few weeks later, using the temporary power supplied by a standby power barge in Ubay, NGCP supplied temporary power through its backbone lines which were fixed in record time.

This allowed Bohol-based distribution utilities to start reconnecting households, making power available in key industries and some homes.

By Feb. 9, NGCP completed the erection of temporary emergency restoration systems which allowed the more afforable Leyte power to come in.

Meanwhile, local distribution utilities looked into their backbone lines, which could bring in power to its lateral lines to the barangays.

To date, according to BOHECO 1, the rehabilitation of their lateral lines is at 61%.

"We have increased our energized connections to 60% or 94,195 out of 157,060 consumer connections, which is also the net of the 28,395 household connections that are fully damaged and can not be connected yet," BOHECO 1 added in its press statement. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)

Fallen power lines hampered rescue and relief efforts in Bohol after typhoon Odette hit the island. Now, these have also slowed the rehabilitation of power supply to the households, as distribution utilities are faced with the shortage of replacement metal or concrete posts for Bohol. (PIA Bohol)

CAN NOT BE RETAPPED. Boheco said they may not be able to retap the power connection to some 28,000 households in their service area as these are totally destroyed and have to be rebuilt to keep the residents safe from electrocution. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Tagbilaran City under 

Alert Level 1 by April 1

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, March 31 (PIA) -- Tagbilaran City, a component city in Bohol, would be on Alert Level 1 starting April 1.

This as the National Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease (NTF), through Resolution No 164 series of 2022, has provided for the criteria which allows Bohol’s only city and the gateway to the tourism province to be deescalated from Alert Level 2.

NTF Resolution No 164 has amended NTF Resolution No. 163, series of 2022, and put up the criteria for the de-escalation of provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities to Alert Level 1.

NTF recently resolved that provinces, highly urbanized cities, independent component cities or component cities and municipalities that have attained low to minimal risk case classification may be de-escalated to Alert Level 1.

Another key factor for the de-escalation of areas is the total bed utilization rate.

According to NTF and based on the data provided by the local task forces on COVID-19, the total hospital bed utilization for component cities and municipalities have to be below 50% based on the provincial or regional utilization rate.

Another factor for the downgrading of alert status is the full vaccination of 70% of the area’s target population.

Also a key consideration for an area’s downgrading of alert level is the full vaccination of 70% of its priority group A2 or its senior citizens target population.

This, the NTF estimates, should be about 85% of the total A2 population in an area.

The resolution, which came out during the NTF meeting on March 24, would be applied for alert level de-classification starting April 1, 2022.

Tagbilaran City has met the metrics with a general population vaccination accomplishment reaching 102%.

Being the economic hub and home to industries and businesses, the city has continued to vaccinate workers here even if they come from the towns outside their area of coverage.

"The operative words (are) safety and protection to consumers and clients who transact their businesses in the city," said Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II.

On the vaccination accomplishment for senior citizens, Tagbilaran City has reached 81%, said City Health Office Information Officer Robin Culpa.

After recording high active COVID-19 cases, Tagbilaran City has safely managed its cases leading to zero reported cases in the past weeks.

Current hospital bed utilization rate in the city is now around 38% to 40%, Culpa added.

In the case of areas wanting to appeal their current alert level Classification, the NTF Sub-Technical Working Group on Data Analytics may recommend the reclassification upon determination that the same appealing local government unit has met the prescribed metrics for de-escalation, according to the NTF. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)

With the Alert Level 1 downgrade, offices, companies, and industries based in Tagbilaran City are now allowed to operate on full seating and full venue capacity, following the NTF Resolution. (PIA Bohol)

PROTECTING ITS VULNERABLE SECTOR. Tagbilaran City hit 82% vaccination of its senior citizens days before the NTF issued its amendment in the metrics to declassify LGUS from its present CLVID alert levels. (PIABohol/BabaYap)

UPGRADED. Businesses in Tagbilaran City can now fully open and all establishments, persons, or activities, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full venue or seating capacity provided that minimum public health standards are followed. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)