Blackout hits 6 Bukidnon towns

A burned power tower triggered a six-hour blackout that plunged six towns in Bukidnon province into darkness Monday, Sun-Star Cagayan de Oro (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Tuesday. The report said the blackout affected political rallies, along with the operations of huge poultry farms and numerous business establishments in the area. Affected by the blackout were the towns of Libona, Manolo Fortich, Malitbog, Impasug-ong, Sumilon and Baungon. National Transmission Corporation (Transco) Mindanao spokesman Raffy Magbanua said one of their 169-volt power towers in Sarraga, Manolo Fortich was burned and toppled over. He said this caused power supply to six towns in Bukidnon to go out as early as 1 a.m. Monday. He said they still do not know who burned down the tower. Poultry growers in the area said the power outage affected their little chicks that thrive on heat given off by light bulbs. They said the unannounced power interruption is "costing them dearly" as the price value of each chick is increasing and they do not know when the power supply would resume. "Some of us do not know what to do, whether we should rent a power generator or not as it is expensive to rent one," a poultry grower told the newspaper. Brownouts also hit several towns in Bukidnon province early this year during the onset of the Kaamulan festival. Ironically, Transco said its personnel readied contingency measures to ensure adequate and reliable electricity throughout the country during the five-day holiday from April 5 to 9. - GMANews.TV