MALAYBALAY CITY (BukidnonNews.net!/ 31 August 2025) – – Seventeen towns serviced by Fibeco and Buseco had been hit by an unscheduled brownout at 7:24 a.m. today.
According to the two electric cooperatives, a crossarm of a power pole in North Poblacion, Maramag got damaged, causing the 69kV line of the Bukidnon Subtransmission Corp to trip off.
The Maramag-Malaybalay 69kV line transmit to feeders covering the entire Fibeco areas (Valencia City plus 11 municipalities in the South) and parts of the Buseco (Malaybalay City; Lantapan; Cabanglasan; 11 barangays of Talakag; and Bulonay, Impasug-ong).
As the line men were deployed to replace the cross arm, hundreds of netizens flooded the social media accounts of the two electric cooperatives to complain.
Among them is Jessa Morales, a resident of Barangay San Miguel in Maramag. Her village is celebrating its founding anniversary today.
“Walay klaro,” she wrote. “Unsaon lugar ni karun nga Araw raba dres San Miguel, magsininggita nalang lugar mi ane.” (What are we going to do with our celebration? Are we just going to be shouting in here?”
Another resident, Merlyn Egar, wrote: “Unsaon nalang me aning ga online job!” (What about those of us working our online jobs!)
Arnel Barrientos and Johnrey Dela Pena also complained about the rice they’re cooking.
“Very good onta ang morning pero na bad,” said Barrientos. “Kay ang rice cooker wa man lang nkabukal.” (The morning started great, but then the rice cooker hasn’t even boiled yet.)
“Bugas pa kaayo” (Still raw grains) is how Dela Pena described his rice.
Meanwhile, Lawreinz Repalda, Xave Ongcom, and Ryan Rillera, among several others ranted about their laundry.
Rillera said, “Kamo na lang laba oh?” (Why don’t you just do our laundry?)
According to reports, masses in the Malaybalay Cathedral went on as scheduled, as it has generators. Those in the chapels that don’t also proceeded as planned.
Among the establishments that went on as usual were gas stations, remittance centers, and radio stations.
Power returned at 11:25 a.m. or after four hours.
Yesterday, eight towns under Fibeco didn’t have electricity due to a 6 am–6 pm scheduled brownout. Fibeco conducted maintenance of their 10MVA Power Transformer and its relay at Palma Substation in Kibawe.
The entire towns of Damulog, Kadingilan, Dangcagan, Kibawe and parts of Kitaotao, Pangantucan, Don Carlos, and the neighboring Wao in Lanao del Sur, were affected.
Fibeco has also scheduled another 6 am-6 pm brownout this Tuesday, September 2. This is for maintenance of their 10MVA transformer and its relay at their Lumbo Substation in Valencia City.
Affected areas include several villages of Valencia and Maramag.
Valencia: Lumbo (Except Sugarland Phase 1 & Phase 2, Portion of P-1 & 2 Kawayanon,Kawayanon & Sitio Saguing, Portion of P-1 & 2 and Lower Lumbo); Barobo; Guinoyoran; Lourdes; Tugaya; Pagla; and Poblacion (Except portion of Purok 1-3, 6, 6A, 8-10, 14-15, 18-21)
Maramag: Central Mindanao University Area; Buffalo Area; Purok 7, 11, 13-21 and 21A. (with reports from Sean Sulugan)
