The provincial government of Bohol will distribute generator sets to water refilling stations in various towns where residents have only been relying on relief assistance for their potable water and food since the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, Governor Arthur Yap said on Monday.

“We will distribute generator (sets) to water refilling station so that we can help them back to operations. Even with the unstable electric power connections, we can at least make these water refilling stations sell their water to local communities,” Yap said in a presser, as the provincial capitol aims to stabilize the supply of drinking water.

The governor said the provincial capitol received 11 container vans of donated equipment, including several generator sets, as well as relief packs containing food and water.

The latest donations intended for the victims of Typhoon Odette that struck Bohol as it made landfall in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao on Dec. 16, will be brought to the Bohol Wisdom School in Tagbilaran City for distribution.

Yap said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) reported to him that it has completed energizing the Ubay, Alicia, Garcia Hernandez corridors with 69-kilovolts lines on Dec. 30 and 31.

However, the Power Barge 104 shut down its operation due to lack of load on the same days that the NGCP finished its transmission of power in these towns, causing the three power distributors – Bohol Electric Cooperatives 1 and 2 and Bohol Light – to stop their distribution.

“Even if the NGCP transmits its power for distribution, but still there is a problem because it is not enough to energize our household, retail establishments, restaurants and hotels,” Yap said in Cebuano.

He called on the three power distribution firms to get ready in case the generation plant starts to make a partial supply of electricity to its consumers.

Yap reported that the provincial government has assisted all the 48 localities, with more than 100,000 food packs from the capitol and over 70,000 family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed to the typhoon victims.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported a total of 109 deaths, five missing, and 2,040 injured, as of Monday, 18 days after the typhoon.

The province listed a total of 26,590 families evacuated, comprising 61,997 individuals.

Meanwhile, the Naval Forces Central (NFC) on Monday said its transport ship, BRP AGTA (Landing Craft 290) under the command of Commander Lex Heathcliff Basilio, delivered essential cargo to the Tagbilaran on New Year’s Day.

“The ship unloaded (on Sunday) a total of 32.46 tons of consolidated relief items which include food, water including tents for use as temporary shelters to the affected families in the province,” a statement from NFC said.

The Philippine Navy said that the said relief goods that were earlier sent by the Civil Military Operations Group and Philippine Navy were donated by non-government organizations and partner stakeholders through BRP Tarlac (LD 601).

The statement added that the relief mission was part of the Visayas Command’s commitment to assist local government and communities, particularly those who are affected by the onslaught of Typhoon Odette. (PNA)