By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
FROM THE July 25 undesirable flooding in Bacolod City due to Typhoon “Egay” emerged a “hero”. He’s Eufemio Alboroto from nearby Bago City.
A lineman of Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco), Alboroto became an “instant social media hero” because of netizen Joey Cabiles’ lenses.
Cabiles took a video of Alboroto braving chest-deep floodwaters on Araneta Street, Barangay Singcang, Bacolod City to fix electrical wires attached to Ceneco’s pole.
When Cabiles uploaded such video on social media, especially on Facebook (FB), many were stunned.
Truly, Alboroto “risked his life” just to see to it that no live wires could harm anyone amidst the flooding.
What he did might be simple for others but for many, it was a heroic act. T’was “selfless heroism” fueled by an instinct that served as his “mighty gutty” on that infamous flood day.
To save people’s lives from electrocution amid the flooding is noblest in essence. There’s “greatness” in it.
Yes, we do understand that it was his duty and responsibility as Ceneco lineman. But let’s take a look at the act and the risks involved. The way I see it, it was beyond “normal compliance” as lineman.
REMEMBER REGIE AUSTRIA
Remember Regie Austria, a 25-year-old native of EB Magalona town and also a lineman of Ceneco?
He instantly perished due to electrocution while fixing a broken insulator in Hacienda Sta. Maria, Barangay 15, Talisay City midnight of Feb. 7, 2021.
Too, it was heavily raining and due to illegal tapping/connection, the entire neighborhood in the said hacienda was put in danger.
Responding to the call of duty, Austria travelled from EB Magalona to Talisay not knowing that it was his “final obedience”.
What a sad story of a promising guy!
Well, here in the Philippines, linemen are considered “low key workers”. But responsibility-wise, there’s an intricacy in their job.
To be a lineman is like facing “kamatayan” or “weird death”. It’s an odd job with intricate processes – install, maintain and repair electric power lines. They are thus prone to electrocution. Just a little mistake will mean “disaster”.
But sad to say, they’re just receiving basic pay. Worse, some are underpaid, others are just contractual workers.
VALUING LINEMEN
In the United States of America, linemen are “premium workers”. As of July 25, 2023, the average base per year of a lineman’s salary ranges from $85,083 (minimum) to $95,395 (maximum).
If we compute their salary rates in peso at the current exchange rate of P55 per dollar, their minimum salary is P4.6 million and the maximum is P5.2 million per year.
I can’t help but wonder how others value the worth of linemen in our society. There’s “selfless heroism” in their stories.
I remember what former US president Theodore Roosevelt had said: “No one is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in great cause.”
‘CULTURE OF BRAVENESS’
My heart “swells” with happiness hearing Ceneco Acting General Manager Arnel Lapore say they’ll be honoring Alboroto during the National Linemen’s Day Celebration on Monday, Aug. 7.
“We will give him a simple token with P10,000 cash for his heroic deed,” Lapore told me over the phone yesterday.
Likewise, they’ll honor Austria’s heroism, too.
Both men are brave. One fell. The other survived. But what a twin story of heroism worthy to be trumpeted.
Ceneco must be praised for this simple but meaningful mission – instituting among their linemen the “culture of braveness” leading to “selfless heroism”.
Kudos to Alboroto, and RIP (Rest in Peace) to Austria./PN
