BY JENNIFER C.
TILOS
NEGROS ORIENTAL, June 24 (PIA) -- The Department of Energy
(DOE) installed 2,300 home-based solar power facilities in 15 remote barangays
in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
DOE-Visayas coordinator of the Household Electrification Program
(HEP) Lou Arciaga disclosed that the recipient-households of the Solar
Home Systems (SHS) are the Indigenous Peoples (IPs).
The off-grid hinterland barangays in Bayawan City under the
coverage of the Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative II is scheduled to be
energized through solar power by end of June this year.
Arciaga said this activity is considered a highlight in the
implementation of the HEP as most of the beneficiaries include the indigenous
people groups and rebel returnees in the area.
“More houses located in off-grid areas in Negros Oriental are
expected to be lighted up using solar energy,” added Arciaga. Off-grid
areas are places situated in remote hinterland areas that are not connected to
the power transmission grid, she explained.
NORECO2 Engineer Ruel Badon said that they are now installing more
SHS around the province including the towns of Siaton, Sta. Catalina and
Bayawan City.
“Although the installation of the solar system units is free and
there are no power bills to pay, consumers still pay a monthly flat rate fee
depending on the wattage they availed, this is to cover the maintenance costs
of the solar energy units,” Badon said.
The installed SHS provided 3 units of 3-watt LED lights, and one
unit of one-watt LED light with built-in AM/FM radio and cell phone charger.
Arciaga noted that few off-grid households covered by NORECO I in
the northern part of the province are already enjoying electricity through
solar home system technology.
The DOE official said under the HEP more than 10,000 households in
the country are targeted for SHS installation with the budge of P156 million.
In a Kapihan sa PIA, Arciaga told participants to go “green”
technology using solar energy not only to reduce the cost of electric bill but
also protect the environment.
She also urged local government units (LGUs) to tap renewable
energy or support solar power developers to achieve energy and self
sustainability.
The government provides incentives to renewable energy
investors with seven-year income tax holiday, corporate tax rate, 10-year
exemption from tariff duties and tax exemption on carbon credits among others.
(mbcn/jct/PIA7-Negros Oriental/with reports from Lovelein Catubay, intern)