President Rody Duterte will be very pleased with this, more so the people of seven Lanao del Sur towns who have been living in darkness for four years now.
In a speed which President Duterte said people’s complaints should be addressed and solved, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi yesterday ordered the immediate restoration of electric power in seven Lanao del Sur towns which have been suffering from a total black since 2012.
Sec. Cusi cut short an engagement in the Bicol Region yesterday to meet with mayors and representatives of six towns who flew to Manila on Thursday to air their complaints on the failure of the government to deliver electric power to the towns in the coastal areas of Lanao del Sur served by the corruption-wracked Lanao Sur Electric Cooperative (LASURECO).
Present during the meeting at the Dept. of Energy office in the Bonifacio Global City yesterday were Mayor Raizoli Balindong of Malabang, Mayor Alinader Balindong of Picong, Mayor Edna Benito of Balabagan, Mayor Raida B. Maglangit of Balabagan, Administrator Mickey Darapa representing Mayor Macapado Benito of Calanogas and Development Officer Ellie Macasag representing Mayor Haron Marohom of Marogong.
The Mayor of Pagayawan, Halifa Polao, who was not present yesterday also expressed support for the manifesto prepared by the six other coastal towns.
After a briefing of less than 30 minutes by me and Energy Undersecretary Pete Ilagan, Sec. Cusi ordered that a team will be sent to inspect the power lines and other facilities in the towns of Picong, Malabang, Marogong, Balabagan, Calanogas, Kapatagan and Pagayawan.
He said that immediate repairs of the power lines be undertaken after which the towns should be provided electric power by connecting these to either the Lanao Norte Electric Cooperative (LANECO) or the Maguindanao Electric Cooperative (MAGELCO).
Cusi’s immediate action will put an end to the long agony of the people of the seven towns who were deprived of electric power in the province which is the source of the water which powers the Agus River Hydro-Electric Facilities serving other provinces of Mindanao.
The Mayors were unanimous in their position to get out of the control of LASURECO which owes the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines an estimated P10-B in unpaid power bills.
They also denounced massive corruption in the cooperative citing as an example the release by the Aquino administration of P64-M shortly before the elections purportedly to address the problem.
It was found out yesterday that the money was used to buy over 20,000 units of electric power meter whose purchase was made after a bidding conducted by LASURECO.
Both the money and the power meters could not be accounted for.
“Bakit bibili ng kontador eh wala naman kaming kuryente?” asked Picong Mayor Alinader Balindong.
An incensed Cusi ordered the immediate investigation of the anomaly in the presence of the Lanao del Sur Mayors who were ecstatic over the quick action of the Energy Secretary.
“Alhamdullilah!” the Lanao del Sur executives shouted in unison upon hearing of the immediate action of Sec. Cusi.
The absence of electric power in the seven towns was discovered during the Biyaheng Bukid sortie which I made in Lanao del Sur Thursday last week.
During the forum with farmers and fishermen in Malabang, I talked about establishing an ice making facility in the town to help fishermen who were given fiberglass fishing boats by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
My suggestion was met with blank stares by people who then informed me that the ice plant could not be built because the town does not have electric power.
Shocked in utter disbelief that people could have withstood such injustice for over four years, I immediately called up Sec. Cusi to arrange a meeting between him and the Lanao del Sur officials.
In just a week, the agony of the people of the seven towns who have suffered for four years under an uncaring government will now come to an end.
(Photos of the meeting between Sec. Al Cusi and the mayors of Lanao del Sur taken by Romirose Boloron Padin.)
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