The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said that it is making all efforts to enable its systems and personnel to immediately respond if ever there will be power outages due to Tropical Storm Quinta.
In a statement, the utility firm also advised its customers to practice electrical safety measures.
Meralco Spokesperson and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga said that as a 24–hour service company, we are committed to respond to these types of emergencies. “Our crews are always on standby to attend to any trouble that may affect our facilities in areas that might be hit by the tropical storm.”
Zaldarriaga added that Meralco has already put in place all necessary measures to mitigate any possible impact of Tropical Storm Quinta. Advisories are constantly issued about appropriate precautionary measures to take before a typhoon. “We have consistently requested billboard owners and operators to temporarily roll their billboards up to prevent them from being toppled by strong winds,” Zaldarriaga said. Billboards that fall into electrical facilities because of strong winds are among the main causes of power outages, he added.
Apart from these measures, Meralco also gave safety tips on using electrical devices and appliances in case there will be flooding.
- Ensure that the main electrical power switch or circuit breaker is off. Be sure to be dry at all times while being in contact with any electrical facility;
- Unplug appliances from wall sockets. Turn off permanently connected equipment and unscrew all light bulbs if possible;
- Remove mud and dirt from service equipment or main circuit breaker/fuse and its enclosure using rubber gloves and rubber-soled shoes;
- Make sure that all electrical wires, connectors and other wiring devices are completely dry, and;
- When all electrical wires and accessories have dried and are clean, the wiring system of all appliances must be checked by a licensed electrician. Do not turn on flood-damaged electrical appliances.
Zaldarriaga noted that communications is key during emergency situations such as that of a strong typhoon or weather disturbance. He urged the public to keep all channels of communication open and ready, which includes charging of mobile phones, laptops, radios, and other communication gadgets. Customers may also tune in to the different public service radio stations should power interruptions occur.
He added that the Meralco Call Center will also be ready to accept customer concerns. Customers may get in touch via the Meralco Facebook page (www.facebook.com/meralco) and Twitter account (@meralco). They may also text their concerns to 0920-9716211 (Smart), 0917-5516211 (Globe), and 0925-7716211 (Sun) or contact Meralco Call Center at 16211 and 8631-1111.