Aquino’s Christmas gift for Bohol: No brownouts

MARIBOJOC, BOHOL, Philippines - –President Benigno Aquino III’s promised Boholanos of his Christmas gift: A guarantee that Bohol will have “zero brownout” on Christmas Day.

The President, who was in his third visit of Bohol the other day, quoted Energy Sec. Jericho Petilla’s assurance of  “no brownout” this Christmas even as Bohol suffered much from the devastating Oct. 15 earthquake and still are enduring from the province-wide blackout since typhoon Yolanda hit the Visayas last Nov. 8.

“By December we have zero brownout, yan ang pasko ni Sec. Petilla sa inyo,” Aquino told the cheering crowd and Maribojoc officials at Lincod Livelihood Center in this town near the destroyed Abatan Bridge, the repair of which he had came to inspect.

Petilla, also former Leyte governor, was quoted by the media as saying before that he will resign from his post if he could not make Visayas, including Bohol, lighted by Christmas Day. But what will happen to Bohol’s power supply after Christmas Day was however unclear.

The president, reeling from a barrage of criticisms against his administration’s slow pace of recovering Visayas from the devastation of Yolanda and the 7.2-magnitude earthquake, said the disaster cost 200 transmission towers from the geothermal plant in Leyte.

Aquino inspected the replacement works of  Tagbuane bridge in Alburquerque town, about 12 kms east  of  Tagbilaran City, and Abatan bridge of Maribojoc, two of the most devastated areas by the earthquake.

The two bridges have been replaced “temporarily” by prefabricated steel so that motorists can use these for now.” Why temporary? Because the government wanted a more stable or earthquake-proof  bridges for safety and durability,” said Aquino, adding that these bridges would be fully restored by September next year.

Aquino also announced that the national government had allocated P66 million in assistance for those owners of “totally or partially damaged” houses to help them rebuild these.

DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson also assured Boholanos that the collapsed concrete Moalong bridge in Loon town and Tultugan bridge in Calape town will be opened to traffic by Dec. 3. He however did not mention on what to do with the destroyed bridge in Loay town, which was the main link between the national highway and the interior roads going to the Chocolate Hills in Carmen town.

The Loay bridge, bearing cracks in the aftermath of the quake, has been off limit to six-wheel vehicles or cargo trucks, and allowing only four-wheel cars, motorcycles and other light vehicles, said the DPWH here.

Passenger buses and other heavy trucks have to detour through other dirt roads to reach their destination, such as Jagna and Ubay towns in the eastern part. This circuitous route resulted however in increase in cost of fares.

The president, in his Bohol visit, was joined by his Cabinet: Singson, Petilla, Health Sec. Enrique Ona, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, Interior Sec. Mar Roxas, Social Welfare Sec. Dinky Soliman and Transportation Sec. Emilio Abaya, together with officials from other agencies and regional offices.

Governor Edgar Chatto  and Rep. Rene Relampagos (1st district) led Bohol officials in welcoming Aquino and his party. Rep. Aris Aumentado (2nd district) was able to catch up during the program and inspection of the Abatan bridge.  (FREEMAN)