Power access drive speeds up

With roughly two years left in the Marcos administration, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) is accelerating efforts to complete full electrification of rural and underserved areas, focusing on last-mile connections, system upgrades, and power reliability programs nationwide.

“We need to improve and make reliable our services. That’s all that really matters… And that is one thing I want to inculcate in each and every one… Let’s shift the paradigm already. We can’t do enough of the good that we’re doing,” NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda said during a yearend gathering.

Electrification of GIDAs

To support its mandate, the NEA said it has continued to prioritize the electrification of geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) in line with the government’s Digital Bayanihan program.

The agency also worked with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc. (ANECO) to energize Datu Saldong Domino Elementary School in San Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, using a solar energy system developed by the University of the Philippines. NEA and DepEd began deploying the same system to other last-mile schools.

Task Force Metro Zamboanga

To address power reliability, NEA created Task Force Metro Zamboanga in August to implement reforms at Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative Inc. (ZAMCELCO). NEA said the measures improved collections and established systems to curb electricity pilferage.

In Basilan, NEA coordinated with the Department of Energy and the National Power Corporation to address power supply constraints. Almeda announced plans to realign the province’s subtransmission backbone along circumferential roads.

NEA also signed a memorandum of agreement with the Maharlika Investment Corporation, Palawan Electric Cooperative, and the provincial government of Palawan to modernize the island’s power distribution system. Similar efforts were ongoing in Oriental and Occidental Mindoro.