Report: Brownout threatens 22 precincts in Aklan

A continuing brownout threatened to mar the first hours of Election Day in at least clustered 22 polling precincts in Aklan province in Western Visayas. Radio dzXL reported early Monday that the Aklan Electric Cooperative (AEC) reported the matter to the Commission on Elections so that generator sets could be readied. The generator sets will be used to power the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines to be used in the polls. AEC general manager Chito Peralta said the 22 precincts are in remote areas. On the other hand, Peralta assured voters in the province the AEC is prepared for a worst-case scenario. He said "reactionary forces" are on standby to repair power facilities that may be damaged on Election Day. Meanwhile, a separate dzXL report said the Iloilo Electric Cooperative (ILECO) advised voters in the province to prepare for possible brownouts in its service areas. ILECO General Manager Engineer Wilfred Billena said problems with their Greencore Power facility, which supplies power to ILECO 1 and 2, forced them to resort to "load shedding." He said there may be rotating brownouts in areas serviced by ILECO 1 and 2, likely between 5 to 10 p.m. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV