Help from different electric cooperatives and private energy companies continues to pour in for the employees of the Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LASURECO), who are among the thousands displaced by the fighting between government forces and members of the Maute group in Marawi.
Task Force Duterte Lanao Sur Power recently received relief supplies from Aboitiz Foundation and financial assistance amounting to PhP1.047 million from the Central Visayas Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (CEVECA), Cebu I Electric Cooperative, Inc. (CEBECO I), CEBECO II and CEBECO III, and Fr. Francisco Silva.
Present during the turnover were NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong, Deputy Administrators Sonia San Diego, lawyer Goldelio Rivera, lawyer Rossan Rosero-Lee, engineer Artis Nikki Tortola, and Acting Department Manager Jona Andal of the Corporate Communications and Social Marketing Office.
The Aboitiz Foundation, meanwhile, were represented by Sandro Aboitiz, head of Energy Trading and Sales; Roland Gaerlan, vice president for Sales; Benedick Salvador, assistant vice president for Sales in Visayas and Mindanao; Theodore Bisnar, area manager for Mindanao; and Henry Maliksi, account officer.
In his message during the turnover, Masongsong thanked the Aboitiz Foundation and the different electric cooperatives in Central Visayas that have given assistance to LASURECO employees affected by the ongoing armed conflict in Marawi.
The NEA chief also suggested the establishment of a foundation, which will serve as a platform to facilitate and centralize all donations for disaster relief, recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts.
“Maybe it’s high time that the electric cooperatives, in partnership with NEA and member-consumer-owners, shall also put up a foundation that will centralize all donations,” he said, citing the frequent occurrence of disasters in the country.
The donations were received by LASURECO acting general manager Nordjiana Ducol and interim Task Force Duterte Lanao Sur Power co-chairman Akmad Mamalinta. The turnover was held at the NEA main office in Quezon City.
Ducol, for her part, said she is grateful for the assistance extended to LASURECO. “Thank you for helping us, my LASURECO family. I am humbly accepting the financial and relief donations that you extended to us,” she said.
Last month, the NEA and its allied organizations also conducted relief operations for the displaced workers and member-consumers of Lasureco. The NEA also approved the P6-million calamity loan of the Task Force to cover the cost of its operational expenditures.