Watts of Love gives solar power to Sendong victims

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines   â€” After a long wait in “darkness” without electric power, victims of the tropical storm Sendong, which dislocated them in late 2011 in this city, will finally have light with the installation of solar panels by an international, non-profit organization, Watts of Love.

Father Burton Villarmente, director of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Dumaguete, disclosed that Watts of Love representatives were in the city for the installation of free solar panels at Phase I and Phase II of the Caritas Village Shelter project in the outskirt barangay of Bajumpandan.

“Finally, after a long wait, the solar panel units have already arrived and are ready to be installed,” said Villarmente, who further said the application for the free solar power units was delayed due to the onslaught of typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas last year.

The Caritas Village Shelter project, which has built a total of 165 housing units in both phases, is a joint undertaking of the city government of Dumaguete, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-National Secretariat for Social Action (CBCP-NASSA), the Diocese of Dumaguete and its Social Action Center, and Caritas International and Caritas Philippines.

The city government had donated both lots for free while the Church had built the houses for the Sendong victims, majority of them indigents, said Fr. Villarmente.

While both projects have already been completed, there is no electric power connection to the houses except for the street lights due to some concerns with the Negros Oriental 2 Electric Cooperative (NORECO 2).  (FREEMAN)