By Rey Anthony Chiu
Philippine Information AgencyCountdown to 2008 when the government would have conquered the darkness started here in Bohol when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo flipped the switch to dramatize the administration’s intent on making power available to all the country’s barangays before her term ends.
The President’s Rural Power Project (RPP) as implemented by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the Department of Energy is a move to empower rural communities through opening up their access to energy.
The RPP would get to the remaining 5% of the country’s un-energized barangays in the remaining year, says NEA Administrator Edita Bueno during a presentation at the President’s Pulong Bayan and Barangay Visit in Tawala Panglao, Bohol Thursday.
The President also congratulated Bohol Electric Cooperative (BOHECO) for even attaining the full energization of Bohol’s 1,109 barangays and small islands since 2004.
Boheco I in fact fully energized its share of 602 barangays since 1999, General Manager Carlos Itable reported to the President.
Citing Boheco as a consistent outstanding electric cooperative in the country with a 6.5% systems loss, President Arroyo said the ceremonial switch on was to demonstrate her administration’s resolve to conquer darkness in 2008.
In a separate interview, NEA Administrator Bueno said the ceremony is done in a venue where we have a typical barangay energized by a good electric cooperative.
The Department of Energy allotted a P200M electrification budget and another P300M from NEA to attain the target in 2008. With the funds made available from the government’s tax reforms and revenues, the president also thanked representatives present at the ceremony for their congressional support.
With the president were Cebu Representative and Deputy speaker Raul del Mar, Oriental Negros representative Emilio Macias, Bohol representatives Edgar Chatto, Adam Relson Jala and Roberto Cajes.
Also sitting with the President at the Pulong Bayan after the ceremonial switching on were Barangay Tawala Chairman Ranulfo Milallos and Panglao Mayor Benedicto Alcala.
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