Despite being the largest city in the world, there still are areas in Davao City where electric service from the power grid remains just a wish.
They are now in the year 2011, but the residents of barangays Bantol and Magsaysay in the Marilog district are still using gas lamps to light up their homes at night.
Even as they patiently wait for the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to ‘light up their lives’ had to make do with car batteries to power their radio/television sets and karaoke units. Whenever there was a need to recharge the batteries they brought them down to Calinan proper every week or so to restore precious power. Recharging a battery with eleven plates cost the owner P25 pesos plus P20 for the round trip.
Then in February of 2004 the Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy (AMORE), an eleven-year project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), arrived in the two barangays and installed there solar photovoltaic (PV) battery charging stations.
The two barangays are the first and only communities currently benefitting from the household electrification project (HEP) through the use of solar energy installed by AMORE. The project included two units of PV streetlights and a PV lighting system in each of theie community centers.
For its rural electrification projects, AMORE provided social preparation and community organizing in the two barangays while Davao Light provided the hardware, monitoring and technical support.
A Barangay Renewable Energy Community Development Association (BRECDA) was established in each barangay to handle the operation and maintenance of the systems.
Benefiting 30 households, the battery charging station in each barangay is handled by BRECDA, at the rate of one or two batteries being charged in a day at a cost of P15 for batteries with seven plates, P20 for those with nine plates, and P25 for those with 11 plates.
Evelyn Jumao-as, secretary of the BRECDA in Bantol, said the average income from battery charging has been about P1,000 a month since 2004. No battery will be released unless the service charge is paid in full.
Every Sunday, the technician in charge remits the income to the treasurer, and every fourth Sunday of the month, 35% of the income goes to the technician, 10% to lot rental, and the rest to the association’s fund.
There was a minor problem in 2009 with regards BRECDA in Bantol as a result of neglect on the part of its members. However, the technician continued to remit the income to the treasurer. That was the saving grace.
“Wala na gitagad ang organisasyon sukad 2009. Na-revive lang niadtong February 2011 kay gisayangan mi kay mapahimuslan man. Nag elect mi officers,” Jumao-as said (Neglect of their duties by certain officers from 2009 onwards was the problem, however, we elected new ones because we felt the need for it).
Solar at home
Only this month, AMORE, in partnership with Renewable Energy Management Bureau of the Department of Energy and DLPC, launched its Household Electrification Program under its extended rural electrification policy in the same barangays.
Energizing some 50 households in each of the two barangays with the use of a solar home system (SHS), each one composed of 30 watt-peak PV module, four units of LED (light-emitting diode) lamps, AMORE showed the effect of its aggressive effort to provide lighting in every household. This was attested to by chief of party, Laurie B. Navarro.
Part of the project was the installation of another PV streetlight of 75-watt in each barangay.
“Perteng lipaya sa mga tao,” Jumao-as said, referring to the elation of the beneficiaries of the SHS.
“Suga man gyud ang first priority. Wala gyud mi nag-expect nga naay ahensiya moabot kay nagahulat lang gyud mi sa Davao Light (Lighting was our first priority, but we did not know that another agency would come around while we we were waiting for Davao Light,” she added.
Each household initially paid two thousand pesos for the installation plus P350 a month for the next two years, after which the will own the SHS, along with a spare battery for free. “Sa suga na daan, naa nay tulo ka bulb nga three watts each, and isa ka one watt (LED), AM/FM radio, mobile phone charger. So, ang battery para na lang sa karaoke ug TV (For the lighting alone, we have three bulbs of three watts each, and another bulb of one watt, and AM/FM radio, mobile phone charger,” she said.
Edwin Fiel, barangay councilor of Bantol and BRECDA member, said, “Kung dili mogamit og solar, mas dako among bayran.” He said that after owning the SHS in two years, they only have to pay P25 a month for maintenance. The down payment plus the monthly payment of P350 will be used by BRECDA to purchase more SHS for expansion within the year.
“Dako kaayo ang benepisyo, mas moubos among gasto. Sa una mobayad mi og P10 a day para charge sa cellular phone, sa usa ka bulan P300 na. Magpalit pa mi gas para suga sa gabii, mga P10 a day, bale P300 ang bulan.
“Mas sayon among kinabuhi karon. Makastudy pud among mga studyante, ug mouswag pud mi,” Fiel said.
Engr. Jose Dureza Gestuveo, Jr. of the Davao City engineer’s office represented Mayor Sara Duterte during the turn-over ceremony last May 31 in Bantol. He said, electrification using solar energy is a welcome development. “In the future, we can have a renewable and sustainable source of energy. We can do away with fossils,” he said.
“What is important is we’re introducing a renewable source of energy which is ecologically and economically friendly. Dako ang panginahanglan sa barangay, ang sustainability naa sa ilaha,” he said.
USAID representative Joseph Foltz said the role of BRECDA is very important, adding that the project is a manifestation of a renewed commitment to bring light and better life to the community.
“It is the responsibility of the recipients to take care of the facilities to utilize them for a longer period of time, AMORE” chief of party Laurie B. said. “The thrust of AMORE is to provide electricity to remote rural villages.”
When asked whether solar energy is costly, she replied that it’s a matter of point of view. She said households in rural areas have less power requirements, so using solar energy is still cost effective.
AMORE has priority provinces in Mindanao, such as in the ARMM and Davao City, and the organization is open for possibilities with the Department of Energy to provide SHS to more barangays.
In line with the objective to provide lighting to all households, she said, “Hindi kaya ng isang ahensya o organization, dapat sama-sama. Tulong tulong talaga ito, it’s a national mandate. Wala namang sufficient na pondo ang gobyerno kaya tumutulong tayo.”
