The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has mobilized lineworkers from multiple Luzon-based electric cooperatives to support the Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (PANELCO 1) in restoring power to storm-hit communities.

Under the Task Force Kapatid (TFK) initiative, 34 personnel from five electric cooperatives (ECs) have already been deployed to PANELCO 1, bringing with them equipment to speed up line repairs. The initiative, carried out in partnership with the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA), enables mutual aid among ECs in disaster-affected areas.

The initial batch of ECs on the ground includes Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC), Zambales I and II (ZAMECO 1 and 2), Bataan’s PENELCO, and PANELCO 3 from Pangasinan. Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO) is also set to send additional personnel in the coming days.

PANELCO 1 is the most severely affected cooperative, with 106,789 consumers experiencing service interruptions after a series of tropical cyclones toppled power lines. Following closely is La Union Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LUELCO), with 89,020 households affected.

As of 3PM on July 29, power outages were reported in nine provinces across four regions, including Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, and MIMAROPA—affecting a total of 256,976 households in 465 barangays.

Other cooperatives with reported outages include:

• BENECO (Benguet) – 53,162
• ISECO (Ilocos Sur) – 3,278
• ABRECO (Abra) – 2,247
• CENPELCO (Central Pangasinan) – 1,645
• PELCO 2 (Pampanga) – 515
• OMECO (Occidental Mindoro) – 320

NEA reports that infrastructure damage across 12 ECs has reached approximately PHP 17.5 million, affecting utilities such as ABRECO, BENECO, CENPELCO, KAELCO (Kalinga), ILECO 1 (Iloilo), LUBELCO (Lubang Island), LUELCO, MOPRECO (Mountain Province), OMECO, ORMECO (Oriental Mindoro), PANELCO 1, and ZAMECO 2.

What’s your take on the coordinated response through Task Force Kapatid? Should there be more long-term resilience planning for rural power grids? Join the discussion.

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Photo credit: NEA