As of January of this year, the PHP5.5-million Sitio Electrification Program (SEP) run by the Cotabato Electric Cooperative (Cotelco), Inc. has powered 840 families in remote communities to 90% capacity.
General manager of Cotelco Joel de Guzman, Jr. stated that the program, which is scheduled to conclude in August, was sponsored by the government last year through the National Electrification Administration.
“SEP intends to reach unenergized families in remote villages and to deliver sustainable development to the countryside as a whole,” said De Guzman in an interview with the Philippine News Agency.
Lighting remote areas
The goal of SEP is to provide energy to off-grid homes, which are primarily located in the isolated, mountainous interior of the province.
“SEP aims to energize homes in off-grid communities, mostly in the hinter mountainous part of the province, to improve the quality of life and achieve sustainable rural development,” De Guzman said.
About 40 homes in Kidapawan City and nine towns—Arakan (160 households), Carmen (60), Kabacan (120), Makilala (60), Magpet (75), Matalam (105), M'lang (100), President Roxas (50), and Tulunan (70)—are among the recipients of household grants.
The SEP project entails the construction of new electrical lines. Free electrical supplies are given to each recipient, and there is no cost associated with installing the lines.
Helping the IP
According to De Guzman, the local indigenous peoples (IP) populations stand to gain the most from the project.
SEP was implemented with local government entities, simplifying procedures and eliminating the need for local permits.
Kidapawan City, the provincial capital of Cotabato, and the municipalities in the second and third congressional districts are served by Cotelco.
