Small lamps, big potential: One Meralco Foundation empowers Capiz fisherfolks with solar lights

Tin-Tin Dela Cruz’s family was once among illegal oyster growers in Capiz. It was her parents’ livelihood that put her and three other siblings to school, but they had to quit schooling after the local government put a stop to their business to rehabilitate the Palina River.

“Dati, illegal ‘yung pag-culture namin ng tahong at talaba, at nasisira nito ang ilog sa amin kaya dinemolish ‘yung pinagkakabuhayan namin noong 2006. Dahil doon, hindi na kaya ng mga magulang namin na pag-aralin kami at napahinto kaming magkakapatid sa pag-aaral (Before, we were in the business of illegal culture of shellfish which harmed the river, so the local government closed our business in 2006. Because of that, my parents could no longer afford to pay for our education. We had to stop schooling),” Tin-Tin recalled.

Fisherfolks affected by the city government’s move to demolish illegal structures were given alternative livelihood. The Roxas City government helped them organize the Palina River Development Association (PARIDA), which became active in mangrove reforestation initiatives along the waterway.

Five years later, the city government provided funds to establish the Palina Greenbelt Ecopark so fisherfolks can turn to an honest livelihood managing the park. This also paved the way for the Dela Cruz siblings to continue their education.

Tin-Tin and her mother now work at the ecopark. She supports the operations by preparing the food served to the visitors, while her mother Salvacion leads eco-tours and offers massage services to tourists.

But life is not always smooth sailing for the Dela Cruz family and other members of PARIDA. The bustling activities in the park were interrupted after it was devastated by two super typhoons–first, by Yolanda in 2013 and again by Odette in late 2021. Determined and inspired to help PARIDA members rise again, One Meralco Foundation (OMF) and other foundations in the MVP Group came to their aid.

In September 2023, Tin-Tin and other PARIDA members received quality solar lamps from the Foundation’s Light Up Pilipinas program. The initiative helps underserved individuals and households in remote communities as well as community enterprises boost their productivity with the help of portable solar lamps, especially at night. For Palina Greenbelt Ecoparkmembers, these solar lamps became the beacons of light after the sun sets.

“Kapag low tide, nanghuhuli kami ng alimasag para may ulam kami. Dati, ang gamit namin na ilaw ay lighter lang o petromax (kerosene lamp). Ngayon, itong solar lamp na ang kasama namin sa panghuhuli. Walang gastos kasi ibibilad mo lang sa araw sa umaga, may charge na siya (When it’s low tide, we harvest crabs so we have something to eat. Before, our only source was a cigarette lighter or kerosene lamps. Now, we’re using these solar lamps. It doesn’t cost anything because all you have to do is to expose it to sunlight, then it will charge),” Tin-Tin shared.

The small, portable lamps are also reliable sources of light in the park itself. When visitors extend their stay beyond 5 p.m., tour guides use the lamps to illuminate the way back to land. Many of the rafts also have solar lamps they can light up as the dark settles in.

When watchmen do their rounds at night or when PARIDA members work until nighttime, they use the solar lamps to find their way around the ecopark safely, according to Tin-Tin.

By giving PARIDA members these solar lamps, they can maintain the upkeep of the ecotourism area, sustaining not only the thriving tourism opportunities at Palina Greenbelt Ecopark, but the livelihood of those who depend on it as well.

The solar lamps also became essential to the Dela Cruz family when they experienced island-wide blackouts. At night, they flicked on their solar lamps, allowing them to cook meals without fear that it would lose energy as a fully charged solar lamp can light up their home for up to eight hours, she said.

“Nung nag-blackout dito ng ilang araw, itong solar lamp ang gamit namin sa gabi. Hindi kami mag-aalala na kakain kami sa dilim o kung mahuhugasan naming ang pinagkainan nang mabuti (When we experienced blackouts for several days, these solar lamps provided us with relief. We didn’t have to worry about eating or washing the dishes in the dark),” Tin-Tin beamed.

The fisherfolks of PARIDA are just some of the beneficiaries of Light Up Pilipinas in 2023. In a mission to spread the light to underserved communities, the Foundation distributed a total of 2,147 solar lamps to far-flung communities to help fisherfolks, indigenous peoples, forest rangers, students, and soldiers across 16 provinces. By doing so, these communities can reap the benefits of sustainable energy one solar lamp at a time.