Benitez leads restoration push for Bacolod utilities

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – Rep. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez has mobilized coordinated efforts with major utility providers to ensure the immediate restoration of electricity and water services in Bacolod City following the devastation brought by Typhoon Tino.

Benitez earlier convened a meeting with officials of Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) to address the ongoing power interruption affecting several areas in the city.

Present were NEPC president and COO Roel Castro and Maricel Pe, who provided updates on the company’s restoration efforts.

According to NEPC, repair operations are being prioritized from the main power source down to distribution posts, with 73 areas affected by vegetation obstructions and 12 areas hampered by other physical barriers.

NEPC has requested help from the city and barangay units in clearing fallen trees and debris that continue to block power lines.

Benitez appealed to NEPC to fast-track the restoration of electricity, stressing that many residents continue to suffer from prolonged brownouts.

NEPC committed to restoring 100 percent of affected power connections by Sunday and assured Benitez that restoring electricity to the 12 deepwells of PrimeWater will be prioritized to help normalize the city’s water supply.

“We need to work together so that areas with heavy obstructions can be prioritized for immediate power restoration,” Benitez said.

“Electricity is crucial not only for households but also for essential utilities like water systems,” he added.

In a separate meeting with Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp., Benitez discussed the ongoing restoration of water services to Bacolod consumers.

PrimeWater reported that out of 70,941 total service connections, 68,995 already have water, while 1,986 remain without supply as of Wednesday.

Out of 59 deepwells, 46 are operational while 13 are not functioning due to lack of electricity from either NEPC or available generator sets.

Of the total, 18 deepwells are running on generator sets, 28 are connected to NEPC, 12 have no power source, and one is being used for general water hauling operations.

“We understand that these deepwells are ready to operate, they just need power,” Benitez said.

“We are working to make sure all available resources are used so that every household in Bacolod will have access to clean and sufficient water,” he added.

To complement the recovery efforts of Mayor Alfredo “Greg” Gasataya, Benitez also announced the deployment of 2,700 workers for 10 days starting Nov. 21 to help declog canals, drainage systems, and waterways.

The cleanup operation is being coordinated with the Bacolod City government under Mayor Gasataya.

Both coordination meetings were attended by key city officials, including BACIWA Chairperson Sonya Verdeflor and board members, John Canatoy of PrimeWater, and Bacolod councilors Caesar Distrito, Thaddy Sayson, Jason Villarosa, Celia Flor, Dindo Ramos, Pao Sy, Homer Bais, Bobby Rojas, and Lady Gonzales-Palen.

Benitez expressed appreciation to technical teams and frontliners from NEPC, BACIWA, and PrimeWater for their continued efforts to restore services.

“We are all working together — my office, the city government, NEPC, BACIWA, PrimeWater, and our barangays — to bring Bacolod back on its feet as quickly as possible,” Benitez said.

“Our people deserve immediate relief and the full restoration of essential services, especially power and water,” he added.