In Bohol; Electricity to be installed on 530 off-grid households

CEBU, Philippines — Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi with three electric power cooperatives recently signed a memorandum of agreement to energize a total of 5,574 households (HHs) in remote and off-grid communities in the country—530 of which will be in Bohol, at a cost of P131 million.

This project—as part of the Philippine government counterpart for the European Union-Access to Sustainable Energy Program (EU-ASEP) program—involves the installation of a pre-paid photovoltaic mainstreaming system for the 5,574 beneficiaries for 2017.

The teams from UE-ASEP and the World Bank, for their part, target the energization of 40,500 households between 2017 (10,000 HHs) and 2018 (30,500 HHs), and included in this program is the DOE-funded electrification for 2017.

"I want to fast-track the electrification projects, so that our kababayans in the far away communities can have access to basic energy services. We want the beneficiaries to have a decent life, their children to have the opportunity to read their books at night, and the families to listen to the news and other developments, among their other concerns,” said Cusi in a statement.

Involved in the DOE project are the Bohol Electric Cooperative II (BOHECO II) in Bohol, the Busuanga Island Electric Cooperative (BISELCO) in Palawan, and the Quezon Electric Cooperative II (QUEZELDO II) in Quezon province.

Under BOHECO II, a total of 530 households at Barangay Cataban in Talibon town; and Barangays West Hingotanan, East Hingotanan, Bilangbilangan Dako and Bilangbilangan Diyot in Bien-Unido town, are the targeted beneficiaries.

The MOA also involved the electrification, under BISELCO, of a total of 3,711 households at 15 barangays in Coron, six in Busuanga, and one in Culion island.

With QUEZELCO II, a total of 1,333 households are involved located in four barangays in General Nakar town, and one each in Burdeos and Real towns.

The DOE statement said these beneficiaries are in the off-grid areas situated in isolated islets, households located or far from electrified sitios, and isolated areas such as small communities in upland areas. (FREEMAN)