This picture taken on November 16, 2013 shows typhoon victims sitting around a table inside their partially damaged house at night in Tanauan on the outskirts of Tacloban. AFP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla on Monday vowed to restore power supply in Eastern聽 Visayas by聽 Christmas.
Petilla made this聽 promise聽 in a speech聽 after a flag raising聽 ceremony聽 held in front of聽 the聽 municipal hall of Palo town in Leyte, one of the areas severely hit by super typhoon 鈥淵olanda,鈥� said Radyo Inquirer 990AM聽 reporter聽 Chona Yu.
鈥淎ng sabi nya (Petilla) sa salitang Waray,聽聽 鈥業pupusta ko ang position ko na by December 24, on聽 or before Christmas, maibabalik ko yung supply ng聽 kuryente sa聽 Eastern Visayas,鈥欌�澛� said Yu, who was also present at the flag raising.
Petilla聽 was聽 former聽 governor聽 of Leyte聽 before he聽 was appointed by President Benigno Aquino聽 III to head the Department of Energy.
Yu said employees were聽 required to attend the flag raising聽 ceremony聽 because the聽 President, Interior Secretary聽 Mar Roxas and other local officials聽 were聽 in town to look after the聽 plight of the typhoon victims.
But she said the聽 municipal hall聽 itself was聽 also聽 destroyed聽 by the聽 typhoon so the employees had to make do聽 with the only room at the ground floor spared by the typhoon.
In the evening, a free movie will be shown in front of the聽 municipal hall to give temporary entertainment for the typhoon victims,聽 Yu further said still quoting Petilla.
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