Globe: Mobile coverage approaching full restoration in ‘Ruby’ hit areas

Globe Telecommunications Building (Wikipedia)

MANILA — Mobile coverage in areas in the Visayas region hit by Typhoon “Ruby” are approaching full restoration, Globe Telecom Inc. (Globe) said on Tuesday.

Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto made the announcement following intensified efforts of the telco’s network operations team to fire up cell sites adversely affected by Ruby.

“We are now approaching full restoration of cell sites impacted by typhoon Ruby and in fact, we may restore a good number of our sites in Eastern Samar within the day,” Crisanto said.

Although there were no major outages, Globe said that service disruptions were due mostly to minor power outages and misalignment of antennas following strong winds spawned by the typhoon.

The telco earlier prepositioned critical tools, spares and equipment to expedite recovery process as part of its preparation to cushion the impact of Ruby.

It also implemented a preemptive measures that include a temporary service interruption of mobile coverage in Eastern Samar to minimize significant damage to network infrastructure.

Globe said that to date, mobile coverage has been restored in the towns of Guiuan, Hernani, Julita and Salcedo in Eastern Samar; Abuyog, Albuera, Barugo, Capoocan, Carigara, Isabel, Kananga, La Paz, Mahaplag, Matag-ob, Padre Burgos, Palo, Palompon, Saint Bernard, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Leyte and Ormoc and Tacloban Cities in Leyte, Crisanto said.

Mobile coverage has also been restored in the towns of Allen, Catarman, Las Navas, Mondragon, Catubig, Palapag, Pambujan, San Roque, and San Isidro in Northern Samar; the towns of Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Macrohon, San Ricardo, Silago, Sogod, Tomas Oppus and Maasin City in Southern Leyte; Calbayog City, Pansanghan, Tagapul-an in Western Samar; and Culaba in Biliran.

Globe already achieved full restoration of telecommunication services in the following cities in Cebu: Daanbantayan, Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Madrilejos, Medellin, Pilar, Poro, Bogo City, San Franscisco, Consolacion and Tabogon. Globe also has restored all sites in Pontevedra, President Roxas, Sapian, Altavas, Ivisan, Mabusao, Roxas City in Capiz; Monreal, San Fernando, San Jacinto in Masbate, Bachawan, Espana, San Agustin, Santa Maria, Cambalo, Cajidiocan Marigondon, Azarga, Cambijang, Bagacay, Magdiwang, Sablayan, Tobigon, Hinagungan in Romblon; Buruanga, New Washington and Kalibo in Aklan.