Empowering the powerless

An estimated more than 11 million Filipinos, or 2.4 million households, live off-grid without links or access to electricity. Although access to electricity has improved in the Philippines, the country still faces an energy insecurity problem.

One Meralco Foundation, Meralco's corporate social responsibility arm, has been going around the country to lessen the electricity gap. Through its initiatives, it has energized using solar power. This water distribution facility will give residents of Barangay Sibaltan in El Nido, Palawan access to reliable and sustainable water supply.

"One Meralco Foundation's mission is to bring the benefits of electrification, especially to remote and marginalized communities like Barangay Sibaltan. Lighting up and bringing hope to the farthest and remotest barangays in the country to enable productivity for Filipinos is the core of the Foundation's existence," OMF president Jeffrey Tarayao said.

The initiative in Palawan involves installing an 8-kilowatt peak solar photovoltaic system to power the Acosta Water Pumping Station. It is expected to benefit more than 300 households, most of whom are members of the Cuyonon ethnic group.

El Nido's Municipal Economic Enterprises and Development Office manages the water facility as the barangay's primary water source. It used to be powered by a diesel generator before the electrification, which translated to high operating costs and posed a challenge to MEEDO, as well as the community.

The facility's dependence on generator sets also made them vulnerable to intermittent water service, affecting their daily activities, productivity, and livelihood, including fishing and agricultural farming, particularly planting rice and cashew nuts.

El Nido Mayor Edna Gacot-Lim emphasized the project's benefits to the municipality. "One Meralco Foundation's program is a huge help to the community of Barangay Sibaltan. We all know that water is a basic need, so initiatives like this that aim to empower remote barangays like Sibaltan are significant. Instead of fetching water manually, residents now have access to reliable water supply," she said.

According to MEEDO Head Rene Acosta, the water pumping station has operated more efficiently following the energization of the facility. They have so far saved around 400 liters worth of diesel expenses while distributing around 4,300 cubic meters of water to hundreds of households in the barangay.