NEA steps up efforts to energize all barangays

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) is stepping up efforts to attain a targeted 100-percent barangay energization by 2009.

NEA administrator Edita Bueno said they have been conducting a series of workshops to inform critically situated electric cooperatives (ECs) and the various funding agencies.

The agency recently held a workshop on the Barangay Electrification Program (BEP) in response to President Arroyo’s challenge at the Energy Summit last Feb. 5.

To date, there are still 1,438 barangays without electricity, out of which nationwide 1,348 (or 94 percent) are within the ECs’ franchise areas while 62 and 28 barangays are within the franchises of private investor-owned utilities (PIOUs) and local government units (LGUs), respectively.

Bueno, the alternate chairman of the inter-agency Expanded Rural Electrification Team tasked to oversee the implementation of the Rural Electrification Program, led the conduct of the workshops.

She said the workshops were aimed to synchronize plans and activities of all players to attain 100 percent barangay electrification by 2009.

At the same time, these would also affirm commitments of funding support and logistical requirements from the government and private sectors and identify units/persons of responsibility among the players in program implementation.

Bueno said the program will also determine possible kinks and find single/collective solutions to these problems.

Bueno added they will try to reach a covenant of program implementation which shall serve as the master plan for 100 percent barangay electrification.

Workshop participants include general managers and technical services managers of 21 ECs with 10 or more than unelectrified barangays within their coverage areas.

“We have to work hand in hand to help decide the fate of our country and people. The 2009 target is attainable. If we focus on it together, we can surmount problems along the way be it money, logistics or issues. The best legacy we can leave behind to our fellow Filipinos is bringing the benefits of electricity into their lives and into their homes. We have only one country and nobody will love it except ourselves,” Bueno said.

The electric cooperatives have energized 96 percent of the 36,030 barangays within their coverage areas serving 7.76 million house connections or 68 percent of their total potential connections benefiting about 44 million Filipinos at the end of 2007.