Funds sought to power city sitios

CEBU, Philippines - The City Council is asking the Department of Energy (DOE) to approve funds for the possible electrification of 75 sub-villages in Cebu City.

In a resolution authored by Councilor Nestor Archival, the Council cited DOE's Energy Regulations No. 1 to 94, which outline the obligation of the generation company and/or energy resource developer to set aside one centavo per kilowatt hour (P0.01/kWh) of the total electricity sales as financial benefits to host communities.

"Complying with said regulation, the Cebu Private Power Corporation,  a generation company situated in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, sets aside seventy five percent of one centavo per kWh (0.0075kWh) of its total electricity sales to establish and maintain an Electrification Fund that shall be used for electrification of areas with no electrical connection," Archival said.

As the host community of CPPC, Archival said Cebu City is entitled to avail of the benefits provided for by the energy regulations.

Archival, chairman of the Council's committee on energy, received a letter from the Cebu City Hillyland Management Board last July 14 with a list of sub-villages in the city still without access to power.

In the letter, Hillyland Managing Officer Allan Bautista said the board is hoping that the sub-villages will be included in the missionary electrification project of DOE.

Archival listed in the resolution 65 sub-villages in the City under the Visayan Electric Company, including Sitios Cambilog, Agbagon to Bayabas, Luyo in Barangay Adlaon; Sitios Agbucan to Sitio Cateves Guba, Agnawi to Guba Proper in Barangay Agsungot; Sitios Hamtik to Bay-ang, Tugob going to Lamacan, upper Cambitas to Lower Cambitas in Barangay Babag; Sitios Donguan, Agpasan-Secondary, Binaliw-Secondary in Barangay Binaliw; Sitios Taytayan, Puso, Tubod, Dulhugan in Barangay Buhisan; Sitio Hab-on in Barangay Bonbon; Sitios Baugo to Sitio Laong, Malubog, Baugo to Sitio Cambaog, Pulangbato, Baugo to Bonita Homes, San Jose in Barangay Budlaan; Sitios Tonggo and Patan-on in Barangay Banilad;

The other sub-villages are Sitios Mahayahay to Kateves 2, Guba, Sitio Bouao to Kangatis, Lusaran in Barangay Cambinocot; Sitios Agnawe Guba to Sitio Proper Agsungot in Barangay Guba; Sitios Upper and Lower in barangay Kalunasan; Sitios Sugbo, Rio1 and Rio2 in Barangay Lahug; Sitios Lower Lusaran to Tag-ubi, Hagnum to Laguna, Hagnum to Lipoton, Hagnum to Mangabon, Hagimit to Pinigturan, Tapul to Tagubi, Lomboy, and Kan-atis in Barangay Lusaran; Sitios Eskuylahan and Bungtod in Barangay Mabini; Sitios Lowe Malubog, Kan-irag and Dao in Barangay Malubog; Sitios Upper Kantisang to Lower, Baugo to Proper, Proper to Sitio Busay, Proper to Sitio Tubli, Lower Kantisang to Purok 7, Cambinocot, Sitio Lower Kantisang to sitio Kansikla in Barangay Paril; Sitio Mambao in Barangay Pamutan; Sitios Dita to Manguyas, Dita to Cambios, Sirao in Barangay Pulangbato; Sitio Kaughan in Barangay Sibugay; Purok 3 to Pasilagon, Pulangbato, Purok 3 to Purok4, Purok 3 to Baugo, Budlaan in Barangay San Jose; Sitio Kalumbuyan, Barangay Toong; and Sitio Macmac, Barangay Sinsin.

Meanwhile, the 10 sub-villages under the Cebu Electric Cooperative Inc. (Cebeco III) that do not have power supply; Sitios Alpagate and Panas in Barangay Sudlon I; Sitios Balisung and Kulabtingon in Barangay Sudlon II; Sitios Udlom and Sayaw in Barangay Tabunan; Sitio Roblis to Udlom in Barangay Tagbao; and Sitios Mangabon, Liputon, and Awayan in Barangay Lusaran.

The DOE is mandated by Republic Act 7638 (DOE Act of 1992) Section D (i) to "devise ways and means of giving direct benefits…and equitable and preferential benefit to the region that hosts the energy resource and/or the energy-generating facility."

Also, RA 9163 (EPIRA of 2001) mandates that "the obligations of generation companies and energy resource developers to communities hosting energy generating facilities and/or energy resource developers…shall continue." —  (FREEMAN)