Tuesday, October 16, 2007 Armm fully energized by 2008: Amore By Malu Cadelina Manar
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- A foreign-funded rural electrification project hopes to energize all Moro-dominated villages in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Autonomous (Armm) by 2008.
This as the Department of Energy (DoE) allotted some P30 million for the electrification project in Mindanao, especially in the Armm, according to Techie Cruz-Capellan, chief of the Alliance for Mindanao Off-grid Renewable Energy (Amore).
Capellan said the funding would be used to energize some 100 remote villages in Armm.
Capellan said the P30 million funding forms part of the P100 million budgetary allocation allotted for the electrification of off-grid areas in the autonomous region.
The money, she explained, would be used to procure solar photovoltaic systems for community facilities, including streetlights and lighting for households.
"Amore's effort will help fulfill the government's pledge to bring light to every barangay across the region," she said.
Early this year, the Mirant Philippines, one of Amore's partner agencies, has donated $1 million to provide electricity in the remaining villages that it hopes to complete in September 2008.
Since 2002, the USAid has provided over $18 million to Amore.
In July this year, the DOE signaled its intent to complement USAid and Mirant contributions to Amore with P100 million coming from its own coffers.
To date, the Amore has energized some 400 barangays in Armm, bringing light to over 11,000 households using renewable energy technology like solar home and hydroelectric systems.
Amore is a rural electrification initiative established in 2002 by a partnership agreement among the United States Agency for International Development (USAid), Mirant Philippines Foundation, DOE, and Winrock International.
