AboitizPower And COTELCO Boost Disaster Resilience

Aboitiz Power Corporation (AboitizPower) and Cotabato Electric Cooperative, Inc. (COTELCO) have come together in a proactive initiative to bolster disaster preparedness and electrical infrastructure resilience within COTELCO's franchise area.

COTELCO-Main and AboitizPower Join Forces to Ensure Uninterrupted Power Supply: Signing Ceremony for Line-Clearing Activities in Compliance with the Anti-Obstruction of Power Lines Act. Pictured left to right: COTELCO-Main's dedicated OIC and General Manager, Cresmasita Golosino (2nd); Esteemed Director, Marilyn Padios (3rd); and AboitizPower's Area Manager for Mindanao Sales, Renee Villar (4th). | Photo: AboitizPower

The two entities recently formalized their partnership by signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with a commitment to enhance the safety and efficiency of electrical lines during calamities.

COTELCO-Main's Officer-in-Charge and General Manager, Cresmasita Golosino, emphasized the significance of this collaboration, especially in a region prone to flooding during the typhoon season.

"The conceptualization of this project is very timely as we can start with our disaster preparedness efforts as early as now using the equipment to be donated by AboitizPower," Golosino stated.

The initiative entails AboitizPower's generous donation of chainsaws, which will aid COTELCO's front-line workers in swiftly clearing and organizing electrical wires that may obstruct the rapid response team during emergencies.

Golosino added, "This project will go a long way in making sure our team is agile enough to respond to any potential risks and are well-equipped to clear out any obstructions that may endanger the safety of our member-consumers."

This collaboration marks another milestone in the long-term partnership between COTELCO-Main and AboitizPower, which spans 12 years.

Over the years, both organizations have undertaken various corporate social responsibility projects aimed at community development and enhancing disaster resilience among member-consumers.

These projects have included the donation of computers, rewiring classrooms, and support for radio-based instruction.

Angeli Parcia, AboitizPower's Wholesale Head, underscored the importance of supporting the government's mandate to ensure the uninterrupted transmission and distribution of electricity, as stipulated in Republic Act 11361, also known as the Anti-Obstruction of Power Lines Act.

"AboitizPower has always been in support of government policies that look after the welfare of electricity consumers," Parcia noted.

"Obstructions to electrical wires that could potentially pose risk hazards to the community definitely need to be addressed. We are happy to partner with COTELCO-Main as this project is a great opportunity to contribute to risk reduction and promote disaster preparedness in the region."

The AboitizPower-COTELCO collaboration stands as a shining example of the private sector's commitment to community well-being and disaster resilience, underscoring the importance of public-private partnerships in building a safer and more resilient future for all.

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