Fort Magsaysay still has no power, water

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga , Philippines -– The 2,000-hectare Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, base of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division operating in Central Luzon, has remained without electricity and running water for 11 days now since the onslaught of Typhoon Santi.

Col. Ernesto Torres, chief operations officer of the 7th ID, told The STAR that their offices as well as hundreds of homes of military personnel in the camp still have no power.

Fire trucks provide the camp with water as its water system is dependent on electricity, he said.

Despite these problems, Torres, however, said regular operations of the 7th ID and other Army units are unhampered.

Also affected are the Army’s Special Operations Command, the Artillery Regiment, Aviation Battalion, and the school of the Training and Doctrine Command.

He said Santi toppled old trees and electric posts at Fort Magsaysay and that they are waiting for a P3-million fund from the Army central headquarters for the power restoration.