“Congress remains supportive of the government’s efforts to bring electricity to the remaining un-energized sitios.

Every month of August, the country commemorates the National Electrification Awareness Month. This observance also coincides with the founding anniversary of the National Electrification Administration (NEA). To celebrate these two occasions, I will be devoting this column to our government’s efforts towards electrification in the country.

Electricity is vital to modern society—it powers industries, facilitates commerce, improves the delivery of critical services and empowers people to lead meaningful and productive lives. Hence, ensuring the adequate and reliable supply of electricity is necessary if we want to build a strong, stable and progressive nation.

It is, therefore, disheartening to think that at this modern day and age, there are still millions of Filipinos who do not have access to electricity and thus have limited options for growth and development. This is especially true for Filipinos in the countryside where key factors such as geography, population, economics and peace and order issues have made the task of electrification a constant challenge.

In this endeavor, the NEA and partner electric cooperatives or EC have teamed up to bring power to remote and rural areas. Over decades of partnership, they have succeeded in providing electricity at the barangay level, as over 99 percent of all barangays in the country are now energized. The next target for us now is to provide electricity at the sitio level.

According to NEA figures, around 17,939 sitios in the country remain sans electricity. This translates to around 2.5 million households that continue to live in darkness. We must bring power to these remaining sitios if we are really serious about providing a better life for all Filipinos across the country.

Thankfully, Congress remains supportive of the government’s efforts to bring electricity to the remaining un-energized sitios in the country. No less than the House Committee on Appropriations chairman, Davao City 1st District Rep. Karlo Nograles and co-chairman, Zamboanga City 1st District Rep. Celso Lobregat have prodded the NEA to increase its target and budget for 2019 during the agency’s budget deliberations.

We will need all the help we can get as it will cost an average of P1.4 million to bring energy to these remaining unpowered sitios. If it proves to be a challenge to connect these sitios to the national grid, electricity generated from renewable sources will also be pursued. This may include power sourced from solar, wind, hydro or generator sets. Some of these sitios may need to adopt several solutions or hybrid systems depending on their needs and requirements.

Another important discussion in terms of power generation is our need to have a diverse energy mix. It is necessary that we do not rely on one source of energy in order to ensure stable power supply and reduce energy vulnerabilities. This will be crucial in ensuring that the electricity we provide is reliable and accessible to our people. Thus, it may be necessary that we tap non-renewable sources of energy as we wait for renewable energy technologies to mature and become more economical and practical.

“At this modern day and age, there are still millions of Filipinos who do not have access to electricity.

I am confident that NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong and Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi—with the help of House Committee on Energy chairman, Lone District of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco—will be up to the challenge and continue to work hard to achieve our dream of bringing the benefits of electricity to all Filipinos.

Blast from the past: On this day, 20 August 1572, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi died of a stroke in Intramuros, Manila. De Legazpi was the first governor general of the Philippines, ruling the islands on behalf of the Spanish Crown from 1565 to 1572. The Capital of Albay and the Regional Center of Bicol, Legazpi City, is named after him.

He was largely successful in the process of colonizing the Philippine islands where his predecessors have failed. Through the shrewd use of diplomacy and force, he was able to bring to heel the various kingdoms in Cebu, Panay, Mindoro, Luzon and other parts of the country. Because of his efforts, the trans-pacific Manila Galleon Trade was established, exchanging goods from China and Asia to the Americas and Europe while also bringing Western goods, ideas and religion to the rest of Asia.