The Federation of Rural Electric Cooperatives in Region 8 (FRECOR 8) held a seminar-workshop on vulnerability and risk assessment and emergency restoration planning last October 23 to 25, 2017 at FRECOR 8 office in Tacloban City.
The workshop was in line with the National Electrification Administration’s policy on disaster resiliency of electric cooperatives. The intention of the policy was for the ECs to carefully assess the vulnerability and risk of their facilities versus different calamities, whether natural or man-made. ECs must ensure viability through business continuity planning after the occurrence of calamities or disasters.
FRECOR 8 believed that it is high time for the institutionalization of the program considering that Region 8 is often struck by natural calamities brought by force majeure events that tend to increase in intensity which adversely affect the pursuit of total electrification.
ECs, the policy cited, need to adopt a more proactive risk assessment process and to engage in more formal emergency management planning in an effort to protect, provide backup, and facilitate rehabilitation of damaged facilities and enhance restoration of electric service after the occurrence of force majeure and/or fortuitous events.
In 2013, Region 8 was struck by one of the strongest typhoons in recorded history which left immeasurable damage to facilities and infrastructures. Recently, a strong earthquake hit Leyte leaving the Region in total blackout for days.
It was late September this year when the National Electrification Administration (NEA) first presented before the electric cooperatives the IRR of the said policy.
