MANILA, Philippines – Some areas serviced by the Mactan Electric Company (MECO) affected by Typhoon Odette (Rai) may not have power until February.

In a briefing on Monday, December 27, Department of Energy (DOE) director Mario Marasigan said that the estimated timeline for the following MECO service areas are as follows:

• Ibo to Mactan – 8 weeks
• Basak to Maribago – 8 weeks
• Marigondon to Subasbas – 6 weeks
• Punta Engaño – 5 weeks
• Looc to Babag – 4 weeks
• Poblacion to Gun-ob – 2 to 3 weeks

For areas serviced by the Visayan Electric Company (VECO), the company said they aim full power restoration by the end of January.

So far only 15.8%, or 74,920 households and business establishments under VECO’s franchise area, have had their electricty restored.

The company said they are targeting restoration of all 474,182 consumers by January 31. 

Meanwhile, Bohol Light Company, Inc. is aiming to restore power of at least 50% of households by December 31.

Balamban Enerzon Corporation said it had fully restored power within its service area.

In an emailed statement, Aboitiz Power Corporation distribution utility subsidiary Visayan Electric Company (Visayan Electric) said it is targeting to have 80% restoration of power to customers in most urbanized areas within the Visayan Electric franchise by January 10 next year, with the hardest to reach areas to get energized by the end of the same month.

Visayan Electric is also targeting 100% completion of hospitals and 80% of water pumping stations by December 31. 

As of noon on December 27, at least 21% or 98,321 of the 474,182 affected customers in its franchise service area were already reenergized.

Here is the breakdown of the status of affected generation facilities at the regional level:

• Western Visayas- 26% of generation facilities that are still unavailable; 74% fully restored
• Central Visayas- 41% still isolated or unavailable; 14% fully restored; 45% partially restored
• Eastern Visayas- 33% still isolated or unavailable; 67% fully restored
• Northern Mindanao- 31% still isolated or unavailable; 45% partially restored; 24% fully restored
• Caraga- 100% fully restored

– Rappler.com