Generator sales in Manila rise as people buy for loved ones in Odette-hit areas

The sales of generator sets in Manila reportedly picked up over the past few days after Typhoon Odette made a few provinces without electricity.

According to Raffy Tima’s report on Unang Balita, many were seen buying generators on Salas Street in Ermita for their loved ones in the Visayas.

“Talaga pong medyo mataas ‘yung demand ngayon ng generator. Kaya maaga rin talaga kaming nagbubukas kasi ‘yung mga galing ng probinsya, talagang maaga hong nagluluwasan,” said Joyce Sanchez, a generator seller.

[The demand for generators has really increased nowadays. This is why we open our store early because people from the provinces go here early to buy.]

Customer Lito Dela Cruz said he would send the generator he bought to Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, where a seafood plant was rendered without electricity.

“Nagkaubusan ng stock sa probinsya. Walang maibili ro’n,” said Romeo Endrado, another buyer who will send the generator to Southern Leyte.

[The generators ran out of stock in the province. People couldn’t buy any there.]

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) spokesperson Atty. Cynthia Perez-Alabanza said on Tuesday that 12 towers and 600 steel poles were down due to Typhoon Odette, mostly in Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte.

She noted that Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Surigao del Sur, are the only ones without transmission services. Power in these areas may be restored on or before Christmas Day.

Alabanza also said that the return of power supply in communities will still depend on the operation of distribution utilities.

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the Department of Energy (DOE) to restore electricity supply in areas ravaged by Typhoon Odette.

The DOE said fuel supplies were adequate but some gasoline stations had been damaged.

Meanwhile, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Acting Secretary Emmanuel Rey Caintic said on Monday that 80 to 90% of affected areas had communication problems.

Communication lines in such areas will then be fully restored before the end of the year.

Caintic said DICT was coordinating with the telecommunication companies to fix their services. —NB, GMA News