Aquino says volunteerism can help government in energizing remote areas

December 4, 2010, 4:09am

GERONA, Tarlac, Philippines (PNA) - President Benigno S. Aquino III hailed the volunteerism spirit of the electric cooperatives that worked to restore electricity in typhoon Juan-ravaged provinces of Northern Luzon last October, saying volunteerism will help government complete its goal of energizing the remote areas of the country.

In an extemporaneous speech during the recognition of Task Force Kapatid-Typhoon Juan at the Tarlac Electric Cooperative Inc. auditorium, the President paid tribute to the volunteers who were able to restore electrical connection within one week and I salute you for this.”

The President said the Department of Energy has allotted P1.4 billion under the General Appropriations Act of 2011 to energize the remaining parts of the country, especially the remote areas that private sector distributors cannot reach.

He said while he was in the Senate, he could not understand how the previous administration could claim having energized 99 percent of the country but continued to ask for budgets for the national electrification program.

“I told myself that if they were able to energize 99 percent then that leaves me with one percent to finish. But I found out that in one barangay, even if only two or three homes or sitios were given electricity, they claim complete energization. That is why it could claim 99 percent accomplishment,” the President said.

Without electricity, how would the fishermen prolong the shelf life of their products with cold storage?. How can the housewives watch the teleserye they love to view while resting for the day? And how can the students study their lessons, the President asked.

He said Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras informed him that actual energization of the country has reached 61 percent and it needs more investments to be able to complete electrifying the country by the time his term is completed.

The President said it would take until 2020 to fully energize the country, especially the remote areas that can’t be covered by existing national grids.

He said the previous administration left him with a deficit of P325 million but because of the belt tightening measures he put in place, the government now has a surplus.

The Chief Executive enumerated the numerous investments generated from his foreign travels in the United States (US$ 2.4 billion with 43,000 jobs to be generated), the US$ 2.8 billion firm commitments from Japan plus another US$ 2.6 billion, which require a few more documentation to be able to enter the country.

In addition, he said, Procter & Gamble is expanding its Cabuyao plant by P2.4 billion. Nestle he added is also pouring in P4.5 billion for expansion of its Cabuyao plant aside from requiring more coffee beans from local farmers.

The President said the Japanese government recently granted the Philippines loans of P21 billion to fund its road upgrading and maintenance programs. The President lamented that the main artery, EDSA “saw better days when it was still Highway 54 than now.”

The President decried that many of his critics, “those clinging to their old ways, would do everything to thwart our road to progress. In which case, I think I need to expand the New Bilibid Prison to charge and house all of these wrongdoers,” he said.

He thanked the awardees, who came from the electric cooperatives organized by the National Electrification Administration, for “taking their pledge of commitment to support his administration for change.” The awardees took their oaths after a video presentation that showed the extent of work they volunteered for and for which the private electric coops shouldered the cost of rehabilitation destroyed lines, poles and generators.

The volunteers, mostly linemen, accompanied their respective coop presidents and general managers in accepting the plaques of recognition from the President, Almendras and NEA Administrator Edita S. Bueno.