Covid-19 hits workers of Albay power firm

By Mar Arguelles

THE lone power distributor in the province of Albay is confronted with manpower problems in addressing repair works as about 10 of its officials tested positive for Covid-19 while over a hundred administrative and technical personnel are believed to be likewise infected and currently under quarantine.

In a social media post on Friday, June 18, Lesley Capus, head of the Albay Power Energy Corp. (APEC) internal relations and customer support department, apologized to their clients for the company’s failure to immediately conduct troubleshooting, repair, and installation works due to lack of technical personnel.

He said more than 100 of their personnel are awaiting the results of their swab test. Those who are asymptomatic are already in quarantine facilities, while others who are manifesting mild and moderate symptoms of the virus were confined in a private hospital, he added.

“Kindly bear with us since more than 100 of our personnel are either Covid-19 suspects (persons under investigation) requiring to undergo mandatory quarantine,” Capus said in his social media post.

Despite the limitations, he said the remaining linemen are doing their best to attend to various troubleshooting and repair concerns.

Patria Gutierrez, APEC spokesperson, in an interview, said the firm has more than 300 personnel, majority of whom are technical personnel and the rest are personnel in the administration, finance, and operation departments.

Gutierrez said she and 10 of the power firm’s top officials tested positive for the virus and are now confined in a hospital.

Capus said some company officials are down with pneumonia, requiring isolation and treatment.

Meanwhile, all departments and units are manned by a skeletal workforce including the technical service office.

The province has been experiencing a series of brownouts triggered by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ rational power shutdown. (PNA)