Bohol needs base-load power plant

Bohol is beset by a power crisis. The available power supply coming from the Bohol Diesel Power Plant (BDPP) and the mini-hydro power plants of BOHECO 1 is more or less 15-megawatts, given no unit of BDPP suffers from mechanical trouble, while the entire province’s requirement is 55-megawatts. Out of the combined power capacity of 15-megawatts, BOHECO 1 is allocated 5-megawatts; BOHECO 2, 3-megawatts; Tagbilaran City, 5-megawatts; and a spinning reserve of 2-megawatts.

How to divide the very scarce resources is beyond me. While there are some areas with very limited but available power supply at night like portions of Loay, Lila, and Dimiao; other areas are pitch black. I drove Saturday and Sunday nights from Tagbilaran to Lila. I saw sparse electricity lighting portions of the highway. Then on Monday night, we drove from Dimiao to Lila. Electricity lit a stretch of the highway.

This scarcity of power supply is brought about by the devastation unleashed by typhoon Yolanda in neighbouring Leyte. Major power lines were felled by the typhoon including one that carries the bulk of power supply from Leyte to Bohol. With the restoration work still on-going, Boholanos are left with only ingenuity.

Many business owners have invested in generators. This is true not only for the city but for the entire province as well. Without reliable power supply, the business sector suffers the most. Many homeowners have bought generators, as well for the comfort they provide. For the rest of us ordinary mortals, we live each day as best we could. We use gas lamps or lampara at night. Some use candles while others use LPG-operated lamps that remind me of the Petromax lanterns of old.

The day before and after Yolanda struck my power industry colleague Elmer Cruz of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) was regularly sending Power Advisories which were very helpful to me. I also forwarded his Advisories to my contacts both in government and the private sector. In times of crisis, information is vital. Time and again, I have been saying that information is essential during crisis situations. Without information, people get confused, angry, frustrated, and then would start speculating. Speculation is the enemy of information. Communicators are trained to confront the vacuum and disseminate rightful information as fast as any available means could. 

Pronouncements have been made that power supply to Eastern and Central Visayas will be made available before Christmas. We welcome the news as we grope in the dark at night. We trust that our line personnel from all over the Philippines who now converge in Leyte to undertake major restoration works will be able to meet the target set. Having worked with the linemen of NPC, TRANSCO, and NGCP for nineteen years, I have no doubt that the Secretary’s promise will be delivered. These line personnel will move heaven and earth to restore damaged structures to enable substation engineers to re-energize the affected lines.      

Our present situation makes us appreciate the presence of a base-load power plant in Bohol. We need one that can supply us sufficient power in the event we are disconnected from the Visayas Grid, just like after Yolanda. This base-load power plant should have a capacity larger than 55-megawatts. It should factor in the annual growth of the power requirement in the entire Bohol Island. With the hard and painful reality confronting us now, the leadership of Bohol is best encouraged to consider seriously the construction of a base-load plant. A base-load plant runs 24 hours and is connected to the grid. In the event that we are disconnected from the grid, the base-load plant will operate independently to supply Bohol with the needed power requirement.

In the meantime, I urge my fellow Boholanos not to curse the darkness. It is best we accept our present reality, deal with it, and do something positive about it.

The day Bohol shook

I was born and raised in Tagbilaran City, the capital city of Bohol. I remember being terrified when Typhoon Nitang snapped two coconut trees right in our own courtyard. The torrential rains didn’t stop. It flooded the whole yard. Thank God our house was a bit elevated the waters didn’t get inside. I remember Mother promising to cut all the remaining standing coconut trees as soon as the storm subsided. True to her word, the following day, all the remaining coconuts were felled. I didn’t feel sorry for them. I felt relieved. Nitang happened when I was in college.

A couple of years after, I relocated to Cebu City for my first job - my first power industry job. In Cebu, I remember being scared again when ferocious typhoon Ruping with its howling wind attacked Cebu. Power supply was cut off for several days in the city.

Then, I relocated to General Santos City. Boy was I petrified when the city was besieged by bomb attacks in May 2000. I was very scared I told my former boss I had better gone home to Bohol. Naturally he prevailed over my frightened reaction. He said something about succumbing to terrorists’ tactics if city residents left. The terrorists would have won then, hands down.

Fast forward to October 15, 2013. Nothing could have prepared me for the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol. As the house shook fiercely together with a thunderous roar and objects started falling, I thought the house was going to crumble and worse, would collapse on me. Imagine that scene. I would be pinned down dead. Only presence of mind kicked me out from under the table of my bedroom and raced towards the door directly to the street. People were already on the streets shaking and trembling in their sleep wear. It was a holiday after all and people took their sweet time sleeping. It was supposed to be a day of relaxation. People can get up late because there was no work and no school for students. But that day was meant for something else. Sinister, for some; life-changing for others.

A lot of people were terrorized by the experience. The aftershocks didn’t help diminish the fear. Even up to this writing, aftershocks are still felt. It’s normal to feel afraid. I think for the most parts, we are afraid to die. A wise man said we should embrace death for it is a natural part of life. But when disasters occur, we forget whatever any wise man says and run for our lives. Don’t we? It’s our survival instinct that prevails. We run for cover. So maybe we’re not afraid to die after all, but afraid to die a painful death. Imagine being pinned down by a collapsing house. You feel every bone of your body breaks and you cry for help. It’s pure agony and it’s heartbreaking to even write about it.

There are so many painful stories from this side of the archipelago but all these have been heard, seen, and viewed from everywhere, thanks to advanced technology.

Suddenly, you’re thrust out of your comfort zone. Within seconds, you feel insecure about your life. It does not matter what type of house we live in.  An earthquake can flatten it in seconds. That’s right. A very powerful 20-30 second mainshock alters everything. If it were longer, the devastation could have been greater. The loss of lives could have doubled.

While at it, I asked Engr. Nolan Evangelista, an expert from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and who happens to be a city neighbor about the recent earthquake. Nolan said, “The mainshock was characterized by slow ground shaking for about 10 seconds. This was followed by a strong vertical motion from 10 to 20 seconds.” I am not an expert but we can surmise logically that the vertical motion caused the collapse of the centuries-old churches.

Loon Church

The churches are another story. Being a provincial lass, I have seen all these churches up close and personal. I have been inside these churches. I have even taken photographs of these grand structures. They are huge, mystical, and transcend time. Imagine centuries. So many callused and dainty feet have walked either the wooden or tiled aisle. So many veiled and unveiled heads have looked up to admire the arches and columns. So many weddings and funerals held. Truly, the churches are a class of their own. A writer said, “We will also mourn their destruction because they have been part of our history and culture”. She said, “They will leave a scar as well.”     

Boholanos will have to accommodate the changes brought about by the recent earthquake. There will be many changes. For the badly-hit municipalities, life will never be the same again. It will be a fresh start, a new beginning.

For all of us who are affected in various ways by the disaster, our perspectives have totally changed. There is a new appreciation for life, family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. There is a deeper relationship with the Creator; a stronger faith.  We discover our own depths of generosity, compassion, and empathy. We have bonded as a people. More importantly, we have become truly attuned to our own humanity.

The seal of history

BOHECO I celebrates 42 years of service

Ring of loyalty

BOHECO I, Bohol’s pride has grown immeasurably by leaps and bounds through the years. Indeed, its “cup runneth over”. From its humble beginnings on August 11, 1971, it has expanded practically in all areas – from operations to physical expansion, as a distribution utility. It has evolved side by side with the evolving and dynamic power industry.

With a strong workforce of 307 plantilla personnel, it efficiently operates and maintains five substations namely: Maca-as Substation in Tubigon, Villarcayo Substation in Carmen, Loay Substation, Dampas Substation in Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc Substation, and Panglao Substation; 3,457 circuit kilometres of distribution lines; serves 128,236 households broken down into 108,580 residential, 1,075 residential (Cabilao), and 1,661 residential (Island Barangays); 5,332 commercial small, 328 commercial large; 33 industrial; 2,708 public buildings; and 8,519 street lights. It has a total combined asset of P1,545,494.00 as of June, 2013.

Maintaining its competitive advantage, BOHECO I has also diversified its operations by putting up the BOHECO I Sevilla Mini-Hydro Corporation. The distribution utility also owns and operates the Janopol Mini-Hydro power plant. The Sevilla mini-hydro power plant has a capacity of 2.5-megawatts while the Janopol mini-hydro power planthas a capacity of 5-megawatts. The combined power generation of both power plants supplies the 2.2-megawatt requirement of BOHECO I’s franchise area. The rest of the power requirement is supplied by the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market or WESM, Cebu Energy Development Corporation, and Sta. Clara Power Corporation.

Consistent upgrading and modernization of its equipment and facilities to be at par with industry standards is a leadership commitment. The electric cooperative invests in equipment, facilities, and modern transport to ensure a fast, efficient, and optimum delivery of services.

“BOHECO I: Lighting the Past; Blazing the Future”, a coffee table book discusses in detail the developing years of the distribution utility. It’s a must-read book since it walks you through the early beginnings of the electric cooperative: how it came to be; its early successes; the visionary leaders; among others. It is also a detailed description of the early years when power supply in the province’s municipalities was scanty and only available for a few hours daily.

Through the years, BOHECO I has been a consistent awardee of various awards coming from the National Electrification Administration. For 2011 alone, the electric cooperative garnered the following awards: Grand Diamond EC Award, Best in System Loss Performance Awards (Single Digit System Loss), Consistent Single Digit System Loss for the last 10 consecutive years, Best in Collection Performance Award, Best in Region Award, Award to an EC Regional Association that interacts regularly with each other via video link and Information Technology and informs the member consumers through printed materials and other means that tackle issues common to the ECs, and Consistent 100% Collection Performance for the last 15 consecutive years.

BOHECO I does not rest on its laurels as it consistently advocates a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program that harmonizes the electric cooperative’s operations and its corporate responsibility towards the consumers it serves. Included in its holistic CSR package are Scholarship grants for deserving children of member-consumers, Brigada Pasiga, and other livelihood assistance projects.

The electric cooperative is also committed to the preservation of the environment through the Janopol watershed rehabilitation project. In 2012, 3,070 Mahogany seedlings were distributed to individuals who planted the same in alienable and disposal lands.

These seedlings were best planted in catchment areas in portions of Balilihan, Sevilla, Catigbian, and Sagbayan, and the whole of Carmen and Batuan, all in Bohol.As of December, 2012, BOHECO I has distributed a total of 197,273 seedlings covering 87.72 hectares of land.

BOHECO I invests P150,000.00 annually in the Janopol Watershed Rehabilitation Project. This is top management’s commitment to sustain the Janopol watershed.

BOHECO I is also a committed partner of the Multi-Sectoral Electrification Advisory Council (MSEAC). The organization of MSEAC is an offshoot of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA).The MSEAC strengthens the role of the electric cooperative’s member-consumers as important players in the rural electrification program under the changes and challenges of the EPIRA regime. 

The future looks very bright for BOHECO I as it continues to flesh out its Vision of “An electric cooperative with highly-professionalized services for customer delight.” Supportive of this vision is the cooperative’s mission “To deliver quality electric service for the cooperative's area coverage up to the last sitio as well as the delight of its customers and manpower.”

Indeed, BOHECO I consistently pioneers and carves its leadership role in the electrification of the Bohol countryside pushing the economic progress of these areas. We are proud of our humble beginnings, grateful of the people’s support, and inspired by our accomplishments even as we continue to deliver quality electric service to all. 

Fire trees on the road

Fire trees along Maribojoc Highway

The best plants to grow along the highway are fire trees. Yes you heard me right, fire trees. They not only provide the needed shade, they also bloom during summer. Oh boy, they look magnificent on the road during the summer season. They serve as a canopy on the road. What could be prettier than that!

           

I found the fire trees alluring during my trip to my new work station early this week. It’s an hour’s drive from the city. I drove so I could assess how long the trip is, the road condition, among others.

I have planned to photograph the trees in another trip. Yesterday, I was finally able to do it. It felt good. I will probably write a blog about it.

I have been driving around since I returned to my home province in June last year. Going to my father’s hometown, I take the coastal road. The view is breath taking. In a strange kind of way, it’s like the sea view in Maasim, Sarangani province.

Meanwhile, driving to my mother’s hometown is trickier since it is an interior town complete with blind curves. But it’s a short drive so it’s not that taxing. On the other hand, the drive to my new work station is farther. In fact, the drive provides you with a variety of views. One can have a breath-taking view of the sea, fire trees and mangroves by the roadside, old churches, old houses, grand modern houses, and many more. Well, Bohol has been famous for its century-old churches and houses so Boholanos are no longer amazed. But I have lived outside Bohol for over twenty years, so seeing all these once again is novelty to me. I am relishing it.

I guess it’s the magic of revisiting your place with a new pair of eyes. 

The cloudy part appearing on the photo is a rain drop falling on my lens.

The catacombs of Dimiao

The catacombs make up the walls of the ruins.

It’s amazing what I have discovered in Dimiao town, in the island-province of Bohol at noon today. I discovered catacombs! I never would have thought I would find them right in our own backyard, so to speak. For me, catacombs belong to another era and place.

        

Over the years, I have frequently travelled along the Dimiao highway on my way to Valencia, my father’s hometown, until I left Bohol in 1988 to pursue my professional journey. Whenever I visit my old man’s hometown, I always pass by Dimiao. However, nobody ever told me about the “Ermita Ruins”. On hindsight, maybe it was not meant to be. I had to discover and experience it for myself sans invitation.

Today, I drove to Dimiao from Valencia to fetch a cousin. Behind the church, I suddenly chanced upon the ruins! Serendipity, my favourite expression, is really my middle name. It looked surreal from a distance. I decided to explore the ruins following our lunch invite.

         

        On the drive back to Valencia, we stopped by the ruins. We parked by the ruins’ entrance. I must search and investigate. I was very curious. The scene reminds me of Intramuros in Manila and the Pikit Fort in faraway Pikit in North Cotabato.

                   

It was eerily quiet as we entered the place. Maybe it was a holy spot in another time but what caught my breath were the catacombs. It was quite mind-boggling. The ruins were situated in a spacious area across the Catholic Church of Dimiao town. There was a structure that looked to me like the ruins of a chapel. It was situated in the middle of a square-shaped piece of land surrounded by the catacombs that made up the walls of the entire area. Upon the entrance, there was a structure that I could not quite figure out. My best guess would be a sacristy. It looked like it.

        

          I tried to imagine what Father Enrique de Santo de Villanueva had in mind when he built the structures from 1800-1815. Was it a burial place complete with chapel and sacristy? The chapel was where the burial rituals would have been held. Since there are no historical data available for the catacombs in Dimiao, we will never know what Father Enrique had in mind.

         

The broken marker said, “The researchers were surprised why no graves were found in the tombs“. It further said, “But even before it was completed, it could be possible that a catastrophic event occurred or an epidemic perhaps, which explains…skeletons excavated from the…” It ends there. I presumed it said, “…which explains why there are no skeletons excavated from the site.”          

          I have lived outside Bohol for over twenty years, but this is my first time ever to see the catacombs of Dimiao. I hope that this rare historical site will be given the prominence it rightfully deserves by the concerned government agencies.

 

Side entrance of the ruins that looked like a chapel.

The altar of the chapel

Catacombs up close

The sacristy

The entrance to the ruins. On the right with a broken wall are the ruins I presumed to be the sacristy.  The  ruins of the chapel can be seen from the entrance.