• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Around 80 households at the Arao 2 Relocation Site in Barangay Vista Alegre are experiencing power outages after the Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC) disconnected their lines.
The affected residents went to the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday, June 15, to seek from Mayor Greg Gasataya.
According to City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, the power outage at the relocation site in Vista Alegre occurred after NEPC conducted inspections and strictly enforced regulations against unauthorized lines.
He said the residents had previously relied on secondary “tap” connections.
“They cannot have power lines installed due to lack of electrical poles. The distribution poles have not reached their area yet, which creates a challenge for NEPC,” Mayo said.
The city government plans to propose a temporary setup where NEPC installs provisional poles and connections.
Meanwhile, the city government will expedite its electrification program to establish a permanent pole infrastructure, allowing NEPC to later migrate the lines, Mayo said.
The city administrator said they are currently profiling the affected residents to verify their status as official relocation awardees.
Proof of ownership or awardee status is a mandatory requirement for the city to assist residents in securing the electrical permits necessary for official NEPC installation.
While 52 residents presented the grievance on Monday, community representatives noted that around 80 households are currently without power.
Out of the estimated 1,000 residents living within the Arao 2 Relocation Site, Mayo confirmed that only this specific sector is affected by the power disconnection. | TMD
