ITOGON, Benguet, Philippines — Mayor Bernard S. Waclin, together with the National Power Corporation (NPC), led the turnover of Solar Home Systems to 14 households in Sitio Daynet, Ampucao, Itogon, Benguet recently, providing residents of the remote community with access to basic electricity.
The donation, facilitated through the NPC, is part of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Total Electrification Project 2 (TEP), which aims to provide unserved households with electricity through renewable energy solutions.
Each portable photovoltaic Solar Home System can power several light bulbs and charge electronic devices, providing residents with basic lighting and access to electricity for their daily needs.
Mayor Waclin, together with NPC Division Manager Rosaoro Ortiz and Ampucao Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Rafael Ewis, personally turned over the solar systems to the 14 beneficiaries.
Mayor Waclin expressed his gratitude to the NPC and DOE for extending assistance to the residents of Sitio Daynet, noting that access to electricity is essential in improving daily living conditions. He expressed hope that the solar home systems would help address the community’s need for basic electricity.
Ortiz explained that the initiative forms part of efforts to bring electricity to unserved communities, particularly those in remote areas where conventional electrification remains a challenge.
Resident Gina Pili shared that Sitio Daynet, located within the San Roque Watershed, was home to 37 families affected by the construction of the San Roque Dam in 1998. At present, only 14 households remain in the community, where residents have lived without electricity since the dam’s construction.
Rocky Jake Ngalob, Officer-in Charge of the Itogon office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) – Itogon, explained that certain DOE policies restrict power generation companies, such as the San Roque Power Corporation (SRPC), from directly supplying electricity to households in their host communities.
Meanwhile, a resident explained that the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) has been unable to extend its services to Daynet due to the sitio’s geographical isolation and the small number of households. Reaching the community requires traveling through San Manuel, Pangasinan and 5km boat ride across the San Roque Dam.
The provision of solar home systems offers an alternative source of electricity for the 14 remaining households, helping address their long-standing need for basic lighting and access to power. (Itogon PIO)
