ILOILO CITY — When darkness swept across Masbate after the wrath of Severe Tropical Storm Opong, the “Warriors of Light” from Western Visayas answered the call — armed not with weapons, but with wrenches, cables, and courage.

Leading the contingent were linemen of the Iloilo Electric Cooperative III (ILECO III), who joined nine other cooperatives under Task Force Kapatid Masbate, a bayanihan-driven mission led by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to restore power in storm-battered areas.

Atty. James Balsomo III, ILECO III general manager, said the cooperative dispatched a boom truck loaded with equipment and materials, along with seven seasoned linemen, to assist the Masbate Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MASELCO) in rebuilding its damaged distribution lines.

“Masbate called for help, and we couldn’t turn them down. MASELCO was among those who came to our aid during Typhoon Yolanda in 2013,” Balsomo recalled.

He said the mission reflects the same spirit that helped ILECO III restore power in record time in Iloilo’s 5th District after Yolanda: “That’s the essence of bayanihan. No one should be left behind.”

Even as Opong battered parts of Iloilo, ILECO III quickly restored power in its own service areas, sustaining no major damage — freeing up crews to join the relief effort in Masbate.

“Even though we were also hit by the storm, our linemen didn’t hesitate. They left their families behind so others could have their lights back,” Balsomo said proudly, adding that the deployed personnel are NC II-certified and trained to handle high-risk restoration work safely and efficiently.

The operation, he noted, highlights one of the greatest strengths of the electric cooperative movement — solidarity in crisis. “We may have limited resources, but when cooperatives unite, we become stronger. Sharing even small resources makes a huge difference — especially when we work as one,” he said.

Alongside ILECO III, ILECO I and ILECO II also sent manpower and logistics support to reinforce the ongoing restoration efforts.

As the “Warriors of Light” from Iloilo continue to reconnect lines and raise poles across Masbate, their mission has become more than restoring electricity — it’s about rekindling hope.

Because in every line they fix and every home they light, they prove what true bayanihan means: when one community shines the way for another.