Lanao del Sur towns get energized

Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez and National Electrification Administration (NEA) administrator Francisco Silva switched on the electricity for 19 barangays and eight municipalities in Lanao del Sur.

Perez reported over the weekend, that they had successfully supplied electricity to the municipalities of Bayang; Binidayan; Butig; Lumbatan; Lumbayanague; Pagayawan; Sultan Dumalondong and Tubaran.

"This is a significant event for our Muslim brothers and sisters. We are only giving back to them the generosity they have showed us in sharing their energy resource to all of us. Providing electricity to the unenergized barangays and improving systems reliability in the area is the least that we could give them," Perez said.

He said part of the project was the installation and commissioning of a 5-MVA substation at Barangay Pindolunan, Ganassi, Lanao del Sur to provide efficient and reliable supply of electricity.

New distribution lines, were also constructed to reach the unenergized barangays.

"We hope that with the coming of electricity in these villages, the lives of our Muslim brothers and sisters will finally improve. Electricity could very well support small cottage industries like brass-making and malong-weaving. Maranaos have been made famous with these industries, which showcase their unique and artistic skills," Perez said.

Lanao del Sur has 36 towns and one city (Marawi). Lake Lanao is the main source of power of the National Power Corp. (Napocor)’s two hydro-electric power complexes – Agus (1-7) and Pulangi. These two complexes generate a total of 978-megawatts (MW) of power, enough to provide more than 75 percent of the electricity requirements of the Mindanao region.

At present, only 670 of the 1,180 barangays in Lanao del Sur have been energized leaving 510 barangays that are still without electricity.

Ideally as a host community to a large power facility, the province should be the first and direct beneficiary from any gains in the operations of the plants. Ironically, however, Lanao del Sur has remained a fourth class province. While it is a major source of power, hundreds of barangays in the area are still in the dark. – Donnabelle Gatdula