The provincial government of Albay will provide trucks to Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) for its road and line clearing operations starting on Jan. 14.
In a social media post on Tuesday, the Albay provincial information office said Governor Edcel Grex Lagman has instructed Provincial Engineering Office chief Dante Baclao to provide the services of two dump trucks and a boom truck to ALECO.
“Governor Lagman went to Aleco’s main office in Old Albay District, Legazpi City this afternoon to formally lend the trucks to Engr. Wilfredo Bucsit who was designated by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) as acting general manager (AGM) of the cooperative,” the post said.
Bucsit said the support is very vital in the road and line clearing operations as the power lines are already running along densely covered weedy areas.
“Masyado nang masukal ang pinagdaraanan ng mga power lines kaya dapat nang linisan upang mabawasan ang system loss (The power lines are running along thickly covered weedy areas so we must clear them to minimize system loss),” Bucsit said.
Personnel from the Albay Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) will also provide manpower support and other necessary assistance in the said program.
The clearing operations in the Third District of Albay will be from Jan. 14-31.
It is expected that electricity bills in the coming months will be much lower due to the program.
Meanwhile, the Albay provincial government paid PHP1.6 million for its electric debts to ALECO on Tuesday.
Lagman personally handed the amount to settle the province’s arrears in the cooperative.
The governor also urged the other local government units (LGUs) in Albay to help ALECO by paying their dues.
“This is very important to LGUs to follow suit. . .this has to happen within the month of January so that their operation should not be hampered by the arrears,” Lagman said.
Based on ALECO records, a total of PHP16.8 million will be collected if all LGUs will pay their debts.
The governor, meanwhile, commended the municipalities of Malilipot, Pio Duran and Manito for having no debts in electricity. (PNA)
