MANILA - Mobile phone communication remains a problem in some areas battered by the storm over the weekend, although the service is being restored in the majority of Metro Manila, telecommunication companies said yesterday.

Telcos attributed the difficulty in restoring service in some areas to "physical barriers" repair teams have been encountering, as well as blackouts in areas affected by massive flooding.

Globe Telecom, Inc. head for corporate and regulatory affairs Caridad D. Gonzales said teams were working on restoring services.

"Our network team is working round the clock to progressively restore telecommunication services. While there are physical constraints due to the flooding particularly in Eastern Metro Manila, our engineers have not stopped working in all areas affected," said Ms. Gonzales.

She said Globe Telecom services have been restored except for some parts of eastern Metro Manila and Rizal.

Ramon R. Isberto, spokesman for Smart Communications, Inc., the mobile unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Co., said in a separate interview that "normalcy will be restored when flood waters recede."

"Generally speaking, for mobile, the network performed during the crisis. A lot of people from their rooftops were able to call. Flood waters entered [network] equipment and when commercial power was cut off, the batteries ran out," said Mr. Isberto.

He added: "The way the network was designed and its density, facilities in other areas [were] able to provide coverage."

PLDT’s fixed lines will take longer to restore but the "disruption will not be too bad," he added.

For its part, Sun Cellular, the mobile brand of Gokongwei-led Digital Telecommunications Phils., Inc., said operations would be restored as soon roads become passable.

"[Our] service was not affected except for certain areas in Rizal, Marikina, and other areas that still do not have electricity. We expect normal operations very soon as roads become passable", said Reuben Pangan, vice-president for customer relationship management and marketing services.

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