Manila: Power restoration in typhoon-hit areas is expected to be finished within a month as stakeholders have teamed up towards this bid, an official of the National Electrification Administration (NEA) said Tuesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Engineer Eric Campoto, NEA Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division officer-in-charge, during an interview over Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, said several task force members from various electric cooperatives (ECs) are already in the province of Masbate, specifically to help in restoration efforts.

‘Ang time frame po namin dito ay siguro matagal na po ang isang buwan, dahil madami pong mga task force ang pupunta doon (One month is probably long enough, this is our time frame to restore power since there are several task force members who will be there),’ he said.

Campoto said the focus of the power restoration includes the province of Masbate, particularly mainland Masbate and Ticao Island, and some parts of Samar and Sorsogon, areas severely hit by Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name Bualoi) last week.

Compoto said they have reenergized around 3,000 power consumers in Ticao Island to date.

Aside from the ECs, NEA is coordinating with, among others, the Department of Energy, the National Power Corporation, the Philippine Ports Authority, the Philippine Navy, and the Department of Public Works and Highways, with the latter tapped to help clear the areas of debris, which is the major roadblock in the power restoration efforts.

Campoto said generator sets have also been delivered in several vital establishments in Masbate, such as hospitals, to ensure their continuous power supply.

Relatively, DOE Secretary Sharon Garin, in a statement, pegged the cost of restoring damaged power lines at around PHP400 million, but did not elaborate on how this would be sourced.