DoE Allots P12-B For Electrification

Raising Household Connection To 90%

Manila Bulletin

By MYRNA M. VELASCO

August 22, 2011, 10:52pm

MANILA, Philippines — To step up the electric connection of households to at least 90 percent level, the Department of Energy (DoE) will channel funds of P12 billion for the project in the next six years.

Energy Secretary Rene D. Almendras declared through an information and education campaign (IEC) in Baguio City that his department will be “allotting P2 billion per year until 2017 for rural electrification to achieve 90% household electrification from the current 70-75% level of electrification.”

The initial P2 billion outlay is already included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) proposal for 2012, under the budget for National Electrification Administration.

The department’s push for more aggressive electrification within household levels will be part of the “strengthening agenda” that it is pursuing for the electric cooperatives.

“We are providing the budget for the expansion of the electric cooperatives but the electric cooperatives need to show that they are responsible. We are trying to make these structures to reinvigorate the electric cooperatives,” the energy chief stressed.

In line with that, he noted that “the DoE is prioritizing the bill that will amend the charter of the NEA”; the supervising government-run agency for the country’s legion of electric coops.

The energy secretary explained that among the amendments they will be pushing for shall be “the optional conversion of the electric cooperatives to stock cooperatives.”

During the information drive, Almendras similarly addressed the concerns raised relating to the disbursements of funds for projects aligned with the provisions of Energy Regulations 1-94 or the community benefits for host communities of power projects.

He told stakeholders that they are now “coordinating closely with the designated community relations officer of each province for the easier facilitation of the proposals.”

Apart from electrification projects, the other community benefits provided under ER 1-94 include those on livelihood funds, reforestation and watershed management as well as environmental enhancement programs.