Infrastructure development, irrigation, rural electrification and nuclear power were among the issues discussed during the third President FEM Lecture Series held at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on September 16.

Held at the university’s Center for Flexible Learning, the program carried the theme “Building and Powering the Nation: Infrastructure and Energy Security under President Ferdinand E. Marcos.” It brought together students, faculty members, administrative personnel and visitors for lectures examining infrastructure and energy initiatives during the administration of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.

The annual lecture series, organized by MMSU’s Office for Strategic Communication, began in 2024 as part of the university’s commemoration of its founder. MMSU has previously described the series as an academic forum for examining historical accounts connected to the university and its development.

Strategic Communication Director and lecture series chair Prof. Herdy Yumul opened the program, while MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano Jr. delivered the keynote address.

The first session focused on infrastructure, with Engr. Elvie Benig, assistant district engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways Ilocos Norte 1st District Engineering Office, discussing “Building the Nation: Infrastructure Development during the FEM Presidency.”

Benig examined infrastructure projects and public works undertaken during the Marcos administration and their connection to public utilities and services. She also raised the importance of safety, transparency and long-term public benefit in government infrastructure spending.

Engr. Joselito De Vera, Ilocos Norte division manager of the National Irrigation Administration, represented NIA Administrator Engr. Eduardo Guillen in discussing “Irrigating Progress: Water Infrastructure and Agricultural Development in the Marcos Era.”

De Vera discussed dams and irrigation systems developed during the period and their role in agricultural production and water management. He also addressed the continuing need for water security and the use of technology and modern equipment in irrigation.

The energy component of the program featured retired MMSU professor and scientist Engr. Samuel S. Franco, who currently represents the Academic Community Sector on the National Tobacco Administration Governing Board.

Franco delivered “The Nuclear Option: FEM and the Quest for Philippine Energy Security,” examining nuclear power initiatives during the Marcos administration and their connection to the country's efforts to address energy requirements and industrial development. He also discussed the potential role of nuclear power in the Philippines' current energy landscape.

INEC General Manager Cipriano “Perry” Martinez III concluded the lectures with “Powering the Countryside: Rural Electrification in the FEM Era.”

Martinez traced the roots of rural electrification to the Marcos Sr. administration, when the government made electrification a national priority through the establishment and expansion of electric cooperatives across the country.

He discussed how the program laid the foundation for electric cooperatives such as INEC and helped extend electricity to rural communities that had previously remained without power. He said the effort went beyond providing electricity, as access to power was also connected to economic activity, livelihood opportunities and development in the countryside.

A timeline presented during Martinez’s lecture showed that Ilocos Norte was placed under the national electrification program in 1971. INEC recorded its first energization in 1973 and was incorporated in 1977.

The presentation also showed that the province reached 100 percent barangay electrification in 1999. At present, INEC serves 21 cities and municipalities and 559 barangays in Ilocos Norte.

Martinez also revisited the nuclear power program of the Marcos Sr. era, particularly the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which was pursued as a long-term response to the country's growing electricity requirements and dependence on imported oil.

He linked the discussion to current energy concerns, including increasing power demand and fluctuations in global fuel prices, and raised the continuing debate over nuclear power as part of the Philippines' energy mix.

Martinez said the history of rural electrification remains relevant to understanding how electricity access shaped communities outside major urban centers and continues to influence the country's energy landscape.

He ended his presentation by emphasizing the importance of extending electricity services to even the smallest and most remote communities, stressing that the measure of progress should include whether households and children have reliable access to power.

The program also featured an open forum where students and faculty members raised questions and exchanged views with the speakers.

Co-chair Jareason Fabre delivered the closing remarks.

The lecture series is part of MMSU’s continuing programs examining the university’s history and the infrastructure, agricultural and energy developments associated with the period covered by the event. MMSU established the lecture series in 2024.