By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The municipal government of Pulupandan in Negros Occidental has opened its doors to local residents by offering free charging of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets after power in the town was knocked out due to Typhoon “Odette.”.
Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña said due to the continuing power outages, he has opened the town’s auditorium, which is powered by a generator, for residents to be able to charge their gadgets from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
COVID-19 protocols will still be observed and persons shall be admitted in groups and may charge their phones for a certain amount of time in order to facilitate as many persons as possible.
Aside from the town auditorium, the mayor also opened a free charging station outside of his residence.
However, residents will be required to show vaccination cards and identification cards, aside from complying with the COVID-19 health protocols.
The free charging of mobile phones and other electronic devices in the town was immediately conducted as soon as the typhoon had cleared the province early Friday morning, making them the first local government unit in the province to offer such aid to their affected residents.
The Fibr Internet Public Wifi is also available at the town’s grandstand and auditorium, so as to enable residents to contact their families, as well as to assist those who are working from home.
Again, vaccinations cards will be required upon entry.
He also revealed that the town’s municipal offices are powered by generators, so as not to disrupt the local government’s basic services.
Among the vital offices and installations powered by the generators are the Municipal Health Clinic, Pulupandan Municipal Police Station, Pulupandan Bureau of Fire Protection, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Sangguniang Bayan Hall, Pulupandan Public Plaza, Pulupandan Public Market, and the major road street lights.
The sets are not only powering the offices but also the evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, the mayor also reported that they did not suffer any casualties during Odette’s onslaught.
He said there was a resident who suffered injuries after getting pinned by a fallen tree, although the individual was immediately brought to the town’s health office and received emergency surgery from the local physician.
The zero fatalities in the town was due to the preemptive evacuation called in areas tagged as danger zones.
At least eight families still remain in the evacuation centers as their homes were totally damaged by the typhoon./DGB, WDJ